Change was a key byword amid the civil rights work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1950s and 1960s.
And the local African American Pastors Alliance believes in it, too, when necessary.
So it is moving the Jan. 21 annual Martin Luther King Day Community Breakfast, which regularly attracts about 320 people, from the Columbus North High School Cafeteria to The Commons at 300 Washington St. in downtown Columbus.
The reason is twofold, organizers said. School staff, which prepares the food for the gathering, asked about taking a break since those workers have toiled with preparation and cleanup on the holiday for the past five years on behalf of attendees. And the organizers were offered an early chance to book The Commons, which the organizers see as a boon to visibility.
“We think this probably can only help that idea,” said Fred King, an alliance member coordinating the breakfast. “We certainly feel there can be some benefit to being downtown.”
The gatherings, which began under the administration of former Columbus Mayor Fred Armstrong, have attracted as many as 400 people in the past in a variety of venues. Those events have included stories of the pain of racism and anecdotes of those whose hopes of racial unity and justice rose years ago with King, a pastor and civil rights leader from the South.
“It still gives us the opportunity to set the tone for the year for all those interested in race relations,” said King, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, where Martin Luther King made a substantial impact.
Keynote speaker this year will be Frank Mickens of CBS4 TV in Indianapolis. Mickens, anchor of the station’s morning news, also is an ordained minister. Plus, organizers will be presenting $1,000 college scholarships to six students — a big increase over last year’s four $500 scholarships.
For the complete story, see Saturday’s Religion section
