Community rally to honor MLK's dream

Many came out to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday during a community event held at USC Aiken.

The event, a community commemoration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. presented by the USCA college chapter of the NAACP, was called, "One Voice, One People - Continuing the Legacy."

Several local choirs and performers participated in the event, which included a spiritual dance by the Gospel Warriors, musical performances by Voices of Abundant Life and the Lucas Sisters Singers and a poem by Isaiah Cohn. The Rev. Dr. Nelson Rivers III, pastor of Charity Baptist Church in North Charleston, served as guest speaker for the event.

During the program, several officials came forward to share their thoughts on the life of King.

In her remarks on King, Shannon Wood, president of the USCA NAACP chapter, said the civil rights leader's life taught her that leadership means doing what is right and fair for the people that you serve.

Dr. Thomas Hallman, chancellor at USCA, said King's work also included his efforts to show the similarities in all people.

"At the heart of his work is that we all have common issues that we have to deal with," he said.

"As Dr. King looks down tonight, I think there will be a smile on his face to see his dream coming true," said City Councilman Don Wells.

The councilman said King's life showed that if you rally around a common cause, you can do great things.

City Councilwoman Lessie Price said many are working to fulfill King's dream in some way.

"Many of us are riding the shoulders of Dr. King's dream," she said.

Sen. Shane Massey urged young people to follow in the footsteps of King by studying hard, getting an education and working to better their communities.

"Martin Luther King Jr. got involved," said Massey. "To the young folks in the audience, I encourage you to follow his example, get an education, and, when you get it, make use of it."

Rep. Bill Clyburn made a special presentation during the event, bringing a resolution that was recently passed in the Senate that will officially allow signs to be placed for the county portion of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway, along Highway 19.

City Council members approved the designation for the city limits of the road last year and the Aiken NAACP had a marker placed along Hampton Street.

Clyburn credited Aiken NAACP Branch President Brendolyn Jenkins for pushing to have the highway named.

Members of the Aiken branch of the NAACP will travel to Columbia this morning for the King Day at the Dome Rally which will be held at the State House.

Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.