Reflections on MLK Day 2014

It was truly an honor to be a part of the King Arts Complex annual open house on Martin Luther King Day 2014 (Jan. 20).

I was a middle school student when the King Holiday was first celebrated nationally on Jan. 20, 1986. Even as a teenager, I had a sense – albeit vague, at first – that the day and the man it commemorates have a special significance.

One of my most distinct memories of that first King observance in 1986 is the music video “King Holiday” by the King Dream Chorus & Holiday Crew (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17DpFraXZ4c).

This “We Are the World”-style music video features R&B and hip-hop stars of the day lifting their voices in honor of Dr. King and the then-new national holiday. The Holiday Crew included the likes of Whitney Houston, El DeBarge Stephanie Mills, Teena Marie, Run-DMC, Full Force, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, and even Latin-pop boy band Menudo, featuring a young Ricky Martin.

As a youth, seeing music stars I admired paying tribute to Dr. King helped me to understand why the man was so influential and the importance of his legacy. I was an avid BET watcher as a teen, and “King Holiday” was thankfully played in heavy rotation on the then-fledgling cable network.

As a young adult, when I started working in journalism in the ‘90s, the King Holiday continued to play a special role in my life. MLK Day was never a day off, it was always a “day on” for me – and rightfully so.

My earliest assignments as a reporter were covering the city of Columbus’ annual MLK celebration at Vets Memorial as well as the King Breakfast at the Convention Center - the largest sit-down event honoring Dr. King in the nation. Columbus Call and Post General Manager Amos Lynch, my boss at the time and journalism mentor, was the driving force behind the King Breakfast.

In recent years, I’ve enjoyed participating in the King Arts Complex open house, which features arts performances, educational presentations and showcases the institution’s excellent selection of programs and exhibits. Being a part of the event as a speaker this year was a true honor.

During my presentation, I showed a clip from my documentary “Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring” and spoke about the impact that these phenomenal women had on sports history, and history in general.

A big thank you to King Arts Complex Executive Director Demetries Neely, Program Director Jevon Collins, Marketing Director Mark Cardwell and all the staff and volunteers.

A big, big thank you as well to the lady wrestlers and their families who attended the open house and my friends and family who offered moral support for my first major public speaking engagement (I don’t want to name names for fear of leaving someone out).

A special shout-out also goes to my friend, photographer Terry Gilliam, for sharing his photos of the event with me.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2014 was indeed a very special occasion, one that I will always remember and cherish. 

(This post originally was originally published on January 21, 2014.)