Communities in the Golden Triangle are gearing up for Martin Luther King Jr. Day., which is Monday.
The Columbus Arts Council is holding several events in memory of the Civil Rights Movement. The CAC’s current exhibit, which runs until Jan. 30, is “The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi 1964-1968.” It features photographs by Jim Lucas, a young photographer in the 1960’s who covered marches, pickets, planning meetings, bombings and other Civil Rights events in Mississippi, according to the CAC’s website. The exhibit is on display at the Rosenzweig Arts Center.
The CAC will also host a showing of the film “To Kill a Mockingbird” at the Rosenzweig Arts Center at 2 p.m. Saturday. The showing will feature commentary by local author Deborah Johnson. Johnson is the author of “The Secret of Magic,” a book about a young black attorney who travels to Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of a black war hero from World War II.
In Starkville, the Oktibbeha County NAACP, the Maroon Volunteer Center and Volunteer Starkville will host a potluck dinner featuring a presentation by Mississippi State University professor Jason Ward on Sunday. Ward is an associate professor of history. He will speak about the legacy of Martin Luther King. Following the speech, attendees are encouraged to interact and discuss issues on justice and diversity in today’s world. Attendees are also encouraged to bring a potluck dish. The event will be at Trinity Presbyterian Church at 5 p.m.
The Oktibbeha County NAACP will also lead a march and rally at 1:30 p.m. on Monday. The march will begin at the end of D.L. Conner Drive and go to Jefferson Street to Jackson Street, to Main Street and end at Unity Park back on D.L. Conner Drive. The rally will feature a program beginning at 2 p.m. President of the MSU chapter of the NAACP Wilburn Smith will speak.
Davidson Chapel CME Church will hold another march in West Point at 9 a.m. Monday. It will begin at the intersection of East Half Mile Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Street. It will go down Dr. Martin Luther King Street and will end at Central School Center State at Broad Street. A program will follow at 10 a.m. at Central School Center Stage. Senator and West Point attorney Angela Turner will speak.
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