The Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission will host a vigil honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be the keynote speaker at the event set from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, April 4, on the steps of the State Capitol at Little Rock. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
The AMLKC is collaborating with the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and The Joel Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity to host the event, according to a news release.
“As the country prepares to cross the 50th anniversary milestone of the passing of iconic Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is our goal to reflect on the impact that he made, crossing barriers of race and religion,” DuShun Scarbrough, executive director of the AMLKC, said. “We will also pay tribute to Gov. (Winthrop) Rockefeller who hosted a vigil on the steps on the State Capitol amid racial tension in 1968 following Dr. King’s assassination to promote unity and healing. We want youth to get out and pay tribute to Dr. King and Gov. Rockefeller’s legacies by hosting one hour of community service within their areas,” he said.
Hundreds of youth from across the state will attend the vigil as the AMLKC will also commemorate the annual Arkansas Youth Community Service Day to promote the lessons of King.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“During his lifetime, Dr. King sought to find the common ground on which people from all walks of life could join as equals to address important community issues,” Scarbrough said. “Service, he realized, was the great equalizer. As he once said, ‘Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.’”
The commission is partnering with the Arkansas Department of Education to get youth involved by promoting the 50 Forward campaign to garner 50 hours of community service across the state Wednesday.
“During the week of and the day of the vigil, the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission encourages educators across the state to conduct educational research projects and participate in community service,” Scarbrough said.
The AMLKC will also honor former Arkansas Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller for his contributions to the state and acknowledge what would be his 106th birthday, according to the release.
John Kirk of The Anderson Institute applauded the recognition of Rockefeller’s accomplishments.
“The Anderson Institute is delighted to honor Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller’s many groundbreaking achievements in the pursuit of racial equality by making his administration, and particularly its appointment of African Americans to state commissions and departments for the first time, the centerpiece of our Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail commemorations this year,” Kirk said.
Commissioner Johnny Key of the state Department of Education stressed the importance of students being fully engaged in the community.
“At ADE (Arkansas Department of Education), our mission goes beyond preparing students for college and careers,” Key said. “Preparing students to be engaged in their communities is just as important. We are pleased to join with the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission to encourage educators and local leaders to support students as they serve their communities and make Arkansas a better place to live and learn.”