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A Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be held on the civil rights leader’s birthday and holiday, Jan. 15, at 10 a.m. ET. It is sponsored by Lanett’s Lambda Zeta Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

“[The event] is free to the public, and we want the public to come out and take an opportunity of celebrating Dr. King’s birthday,” said Marjorie King, the chairperson of the event. 

The celebration will be in person for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the last few events being virtual. In the past, the event had been an MLK Unity Day breakfast. This year will be more of a program, with multiple speakers to discuss the importance of the Rev. King and his lasting legacy. The event will take place at Goodsell United Methodist Church, located at 1007 N 6th Ave in Lanett. Dressy attire is requested.

The keynote speaker is the Rev. W.T. Edmondson, the mayor of Lagrange and pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in West Point. Edmondson will speak about the chosen theme this year: “Living the Dream: It Starts With Me – Spreading Hop, Courage, and Unity.” 

King said the program will include music, greetings from city officials and presentations from community members. There will also be a special recognition given to groups involved in the community. Afterward attendees can gather for refreshments.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority will be celebrated at the event, as Jan. 15 also marks the anniversary of its founding. 

“We will be celebrating 116 years rendering service to mankind,” King said.

AKA is the nation’s oldest African American sorority. It was founded at Howard University in Washington D.C. The Lanett chapter has 55 members. The group will be announcing their service project for this year at the Jan. 15 event.