Omaha community members walk along 24th Street for Martin Luther King Jr. Keep the Dream Alive March
For more than 40 years, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Metropolitan Omaha has celebrated the life and legacy of Civil Rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. with a weekend of events in Omaha.
Organizers expect around 380 people to attend the 41st annual MLK Luncheon at the Hilton Omaha, 1001 Cass St., on the Monday holiday. Set to begin at 11:30 a.m. with doors opening 45 minutes beforehand, attendees will honor the man "who fought for equality for all people," said Rev. Portia Cavitt of Clair Memorial United Methodist Church.
People can reserve tickets for the luncheon by calling 402-341-4297. Tickets can be purchased for $75 per person.
Before hosting the luncheon on Monday, the ministerial alliance will host a unity worship service on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Salem Baptist Church near 31st and Lake Streets in North Omaha. The service will include songs sung by a choir directed by Ananias Montague. Rev. Earle Fischer, pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, will be the guest preacher. King was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968.
The ministerial alliance's luncheon and religious service are just two of the events around Omaha that will celebrate King's legacy over the next couple of weeks.
On Monday, the Durham Museum in downtown Omaha will have free admission and be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate the holiday. A museum press release listed a range of MLK Day activities including a scavenger hunt to explore connections between the museum's collection and King's message, a community art project, screenings of the PBS documentary series "Eyes on the Prize" and King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Book readings are scheduled with local authors, including activist and former U.S. Senate candidate Preston Love Jr.
Other Omaha events honoring King include:
Open Door Mission, Siena Francis House, Omaha Conservatory School of Music and the University of Nebraska at Omaha will each host service events on the holiday.The Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St., is hosting a virtual exhibit showing the dignity and hope of African Americans in early 20th century America. The exhibit includes portraits of African Americans, who were living in Lincoln, captured on glass plates. The exhibit can be viewed online at exhibits.exhibitenvoy.org/gpbhm-black-and-white-exhibit.The Blue Bucket Project will host its MLK Day of Service litter cleanup at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. Volunteers can gather at King Science & Technology Middle School, 3720 Florence Boulevard. The cleanup event was originally scheduled for this Saturday but has been pushed back due to a forecast of cold temperatures.Douglas County and the City of Omaha will bestow the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Aspire to Inspire Awards on Sgt. Harvey Burtley, who works in the Douglas County Department of Corrections, and Capt. Sheena Glover, who is a member of the Omaha Fire Department, at noon on Friday. Tia Manning, a manager at the Women's Fund of Omaha, will receive the award as a community recipient. The ceremony will take place at the City-County Building, 1819 Harney St. in downtown Omaha, at noon on Friday.The city's Human Rights and Relations Department will host the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "Living the Dream" high school competition at the Holland Performing Arts Center at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Keep the Dream Alive March will return to North Omaha. Held for the first time last year, the march will begin at 11 a.m. in the historic 24th and Lake District. Participants will then march west along Lake Street to Salem Baptist Church, said Rev. Cedric Perkins of Pilgrim Baptist Church.
Following the march, which is less than one mile, Perkins said there will then be a community gathering to honor Gene Haynes and Willie Hamilton. Haynes is a retired educator in North Omaha whose career lasted more than 50 years including 20 years as principal of Omaha North High School. Hamilton is the president and founder of Black Men United.
After drawing 200 people to the march last year, Perkins said organizers hope to have a larger crowd this year. He said organizers have invited Mayor Jean Stothert and other prominent officials and individuals.
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