Program celebrates the vision and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jan. 16—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not celebrated as a typical holiday with a day off from work or school, spent in recreation and relaxation.

"We treat today as an on day, not an off day," said Elta Jackson Henry, chair of the religious affairs committee of the Reading Branch NAACP.

People in Berks County and across the country spent the day participating in service projects, such as community cleanups or food and clothing drives, she noted.

But the day is also an opportunity to reflect on King's life, work and vision, she said, the progress made toward racial equality and justice since his assassination on April 4, 1968, and the work that remains to be done.

"We have to work together," she said.

Jackson Henry served as master of ceremonies Monday at a celebration recognizing King's efforts as a community organizer and champion for young people.

More than 500 attended the over three-hour program at Albright College's Merner-Pfieffer-Klein Memorial Chapel.

Themed A Community Thriving Together, the event was presented by the local NAACP.

Part rally, Gospel concert, talent show and awards ceremony, it featured local church choirs, an area youth choir, and interpretive dance and other performances.

"I would like to give thanks to my colleagues and the organizers who put this event together," said Dennis Williams, vice president of the Reading NAACP. "It's beautiful."

One of the areas in which progress is being made, Williams said, is in the work toward eliminating disparities in access to health care for people of color, something King cared about deeply.

At a 1966 press conference in Chicago, Williams said, King spoke of health inequities as the most shocking and most inhumane of all forms of inequity.

King himself suffered from a bout of deep depression, Williams said, but chose not to seek treatment out of a fear of drawing negative media attention.

"I cannot imagine the added stress of dealing with depression on top of the many difficulties of everything else going on in Dr. King's life," Williams said. "It's a tribute to Dr. King that he was able to accomplish so much under these severe circumstances."

Access to care has improved for Afro-American men and women with mental issues, he said, but the stigma still too often associated with mental illness can prevent Americans of all colors from seeking help.

"I'm calling on our partners to make mental health the high priority this year," Williams said, thanking Tower Health, Penn State Heath and Berks Community Health Center for their support.

King's call for justice, peace and equal rights for all were a recurrent theme throughout the program.

Highlights of the evening included a stirring recitation of King's "I Have a Dream" speech delivered by Edward Hall in a powerful and dynamic voice reminiscent of King's.

Hall was among several members of St. John's Mission Baptist Church, 436 S. Seventh St., who participated in the program.

Participants also included representatives of New Hope Baptist Church, 621 Church St.; Rehoboth Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1502 Snyder Ave.; True Faith Independent Holiness Church, 1017 Old River Road, Robeson Township; Lincoln Park Community United Methodist Church, 1 Carlisle Ave., Wyomissing; and other congregations.

Special guest performers, The Chitans, led the assembly in singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

The hymn, often called the Black National Anthem was written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson.

The Chitans, a group of three sisters and two brothers, ranging in age from 17 to 26, also performed several Gospel and contemporary Christian favorites.

The singers and their parents, the Rev. Layne and Karen Chitan, operate a full-time ministry, based in Toronto, Canada.

The program concluded with the recognition of several area youth.

Tonesha and Ashley Giddons were honored for their work with teenage girl athletes in the Reading School District.

Ashley Giddons, a 2006 Reading High graduate, is the author of the children's book, "My Blueprint To Become A Queen of the Castle." The book encourages girls to have confidence in themselves and their abilities.

Zaniaya Marie Bradley, Nisa Anastasia Primus and Tylyn Duncan were honored for their accomplishments. The three overcame obstacles to achieve success in the individual tracts of high school sports, academics or technology education.

The awards were presented by Rev. Leroy Bailey, vice president of the Reading Vicinity Ministry Association; Wynton Butler, director of social services for the Reading School District; and his son, Reading Councilman Wesley Butler.