Reading to Celebrate MLK Day

Reading will celebrate Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 21 at Reading Memorial High School with a breakfast, speeches and music.

According to Human Relations Advisory Committee Co-chair Lori Hodin, residents have been celebrating together for the last decade. This year's program titled, “The Content of Our Character” aims to honor the 50th anniversary of King's “I Have a Dream” speech. 

Breakfast will start at 9 a.m. at RMHS. The rest of the program will kick off at 10 a.m. featuring performances by Parker Middle School, Coolidge Middle School and Reading Memorial High School’s World of Difference Clubs. There will be a dramatic reading of King's “I Have a Dream” speech and the Wood End and Birch Meadow Elementary Chorus, RMHS Mixed Choir, RMHS Singers, Reading Community Singers and Korean Church of the Nazarene will also perform.

Founder and President of Independent Consultants of Education Edward Walker is the featured speaker for the event. He will speak about building character through education and teamwork.

“Fifty years ago, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. exhorted each one of us to build our character through moral action and service. The MLK Celebration will give Reading residents the opportunity to honor King, hear inspiring music and performances, and examine what we need to continue to do today to work for social justice,” Hodin said.

The celebration is sponsored by the Human Relations Advisory Committee and Reading Public Schools.