Commemorate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. at these Newport-area events

NEWPORT – “The appalling silence of the good people is as serious as the vitriolic words of the bad people.” Martin Luther King Jr. said that to a crowd of 5,000 in URI’s Keaney Gymnasium in 1966.

He returned to Rhode Island a year later to speak about the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement to an overflow crowd at Brown University, calling the conflict a “bloody, tragic, costly, futile war that can destroy the soul of America.”

Six decades after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical life as a messenger of peace and anti-racism was cut short by an assassin, he is still widely regarded as an American prophet and a shining example for the nation to follow.

Right here in Newport County, a number of local organizations will be honoring his legacy on the federal holiday bearing his name and the days following it with an assortment of engaging events and programs:

NAACP Newport County Branch

The Newport County Branch of the NAACP will hold its 38th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 15 and Monday, Jan. 16.

Sunday’s schedule features a 3 p.m. music celebration at the Redwood Athenaeum in Newport by the Voices of Unity Choir under the direction of Frances-Elayne Johnson.

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Monday’s programming starts with a 9 a.m. torch run ceremony at Portsmouth’s Rhode Island Regiment monument at the intersection of routes 24 and 114. Newport City Councilmember Angela McCalla will also speak to students at Thompson Middle School that morning, and the NAACP’s annual luncheon will be held in Portsmouth that afternoon at the Green Valley Country Club.

The luncheon, which begins at noon, costs $50 for adults and $25 for youth and features a speech by Dr. Letizia Gambrell-Boone of Salve Regina University. People with questions or in need of luncheon tickets can contact Thelma Williams (401-338-1075), Fern Lima (401-846-4785), Josephine Brown (401-529-8537) or Victoria Johnson (401-559-3968).

There will also be a 5 p.m. evening worship service at the Community Baptist Church, at 72 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd. in Newport.

Temple Shalom

Middletown’s Temple Shalom, located at 223 Valley Road, will host a community service for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend on Friday, Jan. 13, at 6:30 p.m. followed by a potluck dinner.

Newport Historical Society

Newport Historical Society runs a variety of historical walking tours: on Monday, Jan. 16, they are offering a tour called Creative Survival. The tour, which runs (well, walks) from 1-2:30 p.m., will enable participants to “discover the early history of Newport’s people of color, enslaved and free. Explore the places where enslaved people lived and labored, along with locations where free African Americans built their enterprises and supported a new local industry.

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The tour departs outside of the Museum of Newport History at the Brick Market, located at the foot of Washington Square, 127 Thames Street, Newport RI. Tours cost $20 per person, $15 for Newport Historical Society members and active duty military, and $10 for children ages 5-12, and tickets must be purchased in advance at NewportHistoryTours.org.

Salve Regina University

Salve Regina will be running its annual MLK Week programming, which it describes as a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., from Monday, Jan. 22 – Friday, Jan. 27.

With MLK Week, the university seeks to advance committed action around the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, particularly anti-racism and nonviolence, through education, dialogue and community engagement and service.

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Events include the screening of a film about famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman, a spoken word and song event with contributions from students, faculty, and staff, and a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Candlelight Peace Vigil at the Our Lady of Mercy Chapel at 4:45 on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Check the full lineup of events at MLK Week | Salve Regina University.

Newport Art Museum and RI Black Storytellers

Newport Art Museum's monthly Wake + Create event for 4 – 10 year old kids will feature RI Black Storytellers this Saturday, Jan. 14. Storyteller Rochel Garner Coleman will regale his young audience with tales of Black historical legends such as Nat Love and Cool Papa Bell from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m in a show developed using the research-to-performance method.

Wake + Create is a free program included in the price of admission for non-members, free for all children under 17 and free for members of the Newport Art Museum.

Holiday scheduling and closures on MLK Day

Monday, Jan. 16 is a federal holiday, so most government offices and many businesses will be closed. All RIPTA routes will be running on a Sunday/holiday schedule, and all RIPTA offices will be closed.

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Martin Luther King Jr. events in Newport