2017 MARTIN LUTHER KING , JR. SUPPLEMENT
VOL. 52, NO. 14 • JANUARY 19 - 25, 2017
The Informer's Exclusive interview with Martin L. King III - MLK SUPPLEMENT
“W e Supplement Are O ne” MLK Center Section
'Daddy King' and His Influence on Son MLK, Jr.
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
5 Washington Informer Charities held its annual Martin Luther King Jr Day Peacewalk and Parade in Southeast, Ward 8, where several hundred spectators lined the parade route. See story in the MLK Supplement inside. / Photo by Shevry Lassiter
County Honors MLK's Legacy With Day of Service By Lauren Poteat WI Contributing Writer In 1969, three women followed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's. dream of excelling against difficult odds and changed the course of history, as depicted in the new blockbuster "Hidden Figures." In 2008, Barack Hussein Obama, followed those same footsteps and became the first black president of the United States of America. In present day, hundreds of residents across the DMV region gathered Monday for an annual MLK Day of Service event organized by
the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, hinged upon Dr. King’s belief that "greatness is determined by service." Molly Callaway, director of the volunteer center, expressed the importance of her organization and their event's variety of family-friendly service projects, including preparing care packages with crocheted blankets, scarves and anti-bullying bracelets for thousands of residents. "Our MLK Day of Service has been going on since 1999, bringing people of all ages the opportunity to interact with one another and have a chance to make a difference," Callaway said. "Though … we partner volunteers every day with various nonprofits all across the area, this day of service serves as a special reminder to all of Dr. King's struggles and accomplishments and his whole idea of taking a stand and
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While Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the forefront of the civil rights movement and remains an unequaled champion for freedom and justice, his foundation can easily be traced to his namesake — the man who raised and helped shaped the icon. King's father, Martin Luther King Sr., was born Michael King in 1899 in Stockbridge, Georgia. The elder King moved to Atlanta and boarded with A.D. Williams, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, who encouraged King's education. King went on to earn a theology degree from Morehouse College and marry Williams' eldest daughter, Alberta, according to
the King Center in Atlanta. They had three children; the middle child, Michael Jr., was born Jan. 15, 1929. In 1931, King succeeded his father-in-law as pastor of Ebenezer and he led efforts to register African-American voters and to equalize the pay of African-American teachers. Inspired by a visit to Germany, he changed his and his son's name to Martin Luther in honor of the Protestant reformer, King Center officials said. King, affectionately known as Daddy King, was a mentor to many in the movement. He survived his wife, shot while playing the organ at Ebenezer Church in 1974; a son, A.D., preacher and civil rights activist, who drowned
SENIOR Page 11
49 Years After King, Racial Gaps Still Exist By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer With Martin Luther King Jr. Day dawning, how far have we come and would King be pleased? Well, 46 percent of U.S. voters say they expect Donald Trump's presidential triumph to result in worse race relations, according to a new study which analyzes the states with the most racial progress. Released this month, the study measured the gaps between blacks and whites in 16 key indicators of equality and integration for each of the 50 states and D.C. The data set ranges from median annual income to standardized test scores to voter turnout.
RACE Page 40 5 Martin Luther King, Sr. / Courtesy of the King Center
Celebrating 52 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area