Chris Singleton, son of Emanuel AME Church victim, among speakers at MLK events in Anderson
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Anderson County residents can donate food and clothing or volunteer to help others in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
People nationwide are getting involved in their communities through activities this month to celebrate the life and legacy of the slain Civil Rights leader.
King's birthday is Jan.15, and the national holiday honoring him is always held the third Monday in January. He is remembered as a leader in the struggle for racial equality and justice, but he also believed in helping others.
“The tradition of the mayor’s Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast is to honor the memory of Dr. King while emphasizing examples of how to live out his dream in today's world,” Mayor Terence Roberts said. “The themes expressed this year will help emphasize the core values that move us closer to the dream.”
Here are some activities planned.
United Way of Anderson to host a day of service
Residents can volunteer at the United Way community projects from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Jan. 13.
The projects include working with Safe Harbors for domestic violence victims, United Way of Anderson County, and Anderson Interfaith Ministries. Other projects include charities and nonprofits such as The Lot Project, Hope Missions, Garden South Main and Mercy Center.
The program will begin at 8 a.m. at the Westside Community Center New Gym located at 1100 W. Franklin St.
The United Way of Anderson County located at 604 N. Murray Ave., is also encouraging groups to work together on these projects to help "strengthen ties to communities and address issues that divide us."
"For nearly two decades, United Way of Anderson County has honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an opportunity for Anderson County residents to volunteer during this special celebration, said Olivia Armstrong, volunteer coordinator, for United Way of Anderson County. "It is not too late to volunteer for this special service day.
The first 100 volunteers to arrive will receive a free T-shirt. Residents can sign up online at: Dream Day - MLK Day of Service 2024 (ticketsignup.io) or contact Armstrong directly at 864- 226-3438 ext. 108 or at Olivia@uwandsc.org.
Mayor Terence Roberts to hold MLK breakfast
William McCoy, director of the Rutland Institute for Ethics at Clemson University, is the keynote speaker for the annual MLK breakfast.
The event is Jan. 12 at the Anderson Civic Center, located at 3027 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Doors open at 8 a.m., and breakfast is at 8:30 a.m.
McCoy leads the institute to push ethical decision-making to the forefront of Clemson education, engaging faculty, students, and staff members.
The MLK theme is "Reconciliation, Civility, and Justice."
“The foundation of civility really is ethics and helping people understand that a right and wrong yet exist,” McCoy said. “You just have to help point it out to people and then hope that they grasp onto it and understand the reasoning behind it.”
The event will also feature performances by Anderson University students.
This is the 17th annual MLK breakfast hosted by Roberts. He started the yearly celebrations 15 years ago.
The presenting sponsor is the city of Anderson, and the Dream Sponsor is Anderson University with additional support from Duke Energy.
Residents can RSVP at bbell@cityofandersonsc.com
Son of Emanuel AME Church victim to speak at MLK event
Chris Singleton, former minor league baseball player, inspirational speaker, author and entrepreneur, is the guest speaker for the MLK program for the Anderson County Ministerial Organization.
Singleton is, the son of Sharonda Coleman-Singleton who was among the nine killed at Emanuel AME Church in 2015 by Dylann Roof.
Singleton was drafted by the Chicago Cubs out of Charleston Southern in 2017. He never made the major leagues and was released by the franchise in 2019.
He is now a renowned author and inspirational speaker. Recent work includes a children's book titled “Different: A Story About Loving Your Neighbor." The book teaches youth about the acceptance and inclusion of all races and religions in the world.
The MLK event is Jan. 15 at the Civic Center, located at 3027 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
The event is free. Doors open at 8 a.m.
Vendors, a college fair, and live music are planned. County agencies will also set up booths to display information about their organizations.
Civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers to speak for King day at Clemson
Bakari T. Sellers, an attorney and former state lawmaker, is the keynote speaker at the Clemson University King program.
The program starts at 6 p.m. on Jan.16 in the Clemson University Brooks Center for Performing Arts, at 221 Brooks Center. The program is free and open to the public.
An MLK Excellence in Service award will also be presented during the program.
Sellers is a two-time New York Times best-selling author and civil rights activist.
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Anderson volunteers work together in honor of Martin Luther King
