Large crowd gathers to honor King legacy

Paul B. Johnson, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·2 min read
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Jan. 15—HIGH POINT — An overflow crowd that gathered at the High Point University Qubein Arena and Conference Center on Monday morning reflected the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the day designated to honor his devotion to bringing justice to society.

The crowd, representing a cross-section of the community, gathered to share breakfast and fellowship during the annual event organized by the Ministers Conference of High Point & Vicinity. Nearly 800 people attended the breakfast, which has been held for the past 35 years.

King was one of the nation's foremost forward-looking thinkers, said the Rev. Ray Cambell, president of the Ministers Conference and pastor of First Emmanuel Baptist Church.

The centerpiece of the celebration was the set of speeches about King given by five area high school students in the oratorical contest. The students each addressed how King made a difference but how injustices still need to be righted from the effects of discrimination.

Lovelle McMichael Jr., a student at Winston-Salem Christian School, won first place and a scholarship of $5,000. Karly Hairston, a student at Southwest Guilford High School, took second place and a scholarship of $3,500. Nevaeh Ilderton, a student at T. Wingate Andrews High School, finished third with a scholarship of $1,500.

Also participating in the oratorical contest were Mark Horton II, a student at Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, and Jaden Richardson, a student at Westchester Country Day School.

The latest scholarships awarded to students mark the 25th year for the oratorical contest as part of the King breakfast, said the Rev. Frank Thomas, organizer of the event and pastor at Mount Zion Baptist Church.

The breakfast was among a series of local events staged to recognize the holiday. At High Point University the recognition included a service Monday morning at Hayworth Chapel and community projects by university students.

To conclude the city's recognition of the holiday a worship service was held Monday night at Williams Memorial CME Church.

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul