Events planned in Canton to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Canton Repository
Updated ·2 min read
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Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in Canton in 1964.
Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in Canton in 1964.
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The Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Monday honors the civil rights leader who was born Jan. 15, 1929.

This would have been his 95th birthday. The holiday is always observed on the third Monday of January. There are several events occurring around Canton:

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  • The Greater Canton Martin Luther King Jr. Commission will host the 31st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at 7:45 a.m. Thursday at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Canton. The event is sold out. The keynote speaker is Rev. James Lawson, who grew up in Massillon.

  • The 49th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration “What About the Children” will be at noon Monday at the Edward “Peel” Coleman Center, 1400 Sherrick Road SE. The keynote speaker will be Jeffery S. Talbert, superintendent of Canton City School District. Doors open at 10 a.m. to browse entrepreneur’s exhibits and tables. The event, sponsored by the Leila Green Alliance of Clack School Educators, is free and open to the public. Honorees are Sam and Joanne Malene, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Harter Elementary School counselor April Chanault-McLeod, Tina Stevens of Inspiring Youth Not Afraid of Success, and community leader and activist the Rev. Gilbert Carter. The Canton Community Choir and Crenshaw Middle School Choir will perform. For more information, contact Stephanie Rushin Patrick at 330-495-2658.

  • St. Paul AME Church at 1800 Tuscarawas St. E will host "Moments with Martin," a discussion, dinner and one-man show featuring the Rev. John McCants Jr. from 3 to 5 p.m. Jan. 15. Tickets are $25 each. For more information, call 330-455-6003.

  • The Stark County District Library's DeHoff branch, 216 Hartford Ave. SE, will show the movie “Selma” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday as part of its Martin Luther King Jr. Day movie celebration. “Selma” is a chronicle of King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965, forcing a famous statement by President Lyndon B. Johnson that ultimately led to the signing of the Voting Rights Act. The movie’s rating is PG-13; attendees must be 13 or older unless accompanied by a guardian. Unlimited popcorn will be provided. Registration is required. Call 330-452-9014 or email dehoff@starklibrary.org. An optional movie guide will be provided. Following the movie, patrons may choose to join in a short discussion.

  • Temple Israel, 432 30th St. NW, will have a Shabbat evening service at 6:15 p.m. Friday in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The speaker will be Willis Gordon, veterans affairs chairman for the Ohio NAACP. Refreshments will be available at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 330-455-5197 or visit www.templeisraelcanton.org. A livestream will be available via the Temple Israel website.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Events planned in Canton to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day