MLK Commission, HHOMA honor life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with Ecumenical service, march, bell-ringing ceremony

Ceremony starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Culture Center on Jan. 15 and can be viewed live on West Virginia Public Broadcasting

CHARLESTON, WV — The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs (HHOMA), in conjunction with the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission, will host a Commemoration and Celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an Ecumenical Service, light refreshments, march and bell-ringing at the West Virginia Culture Center at the State Capitol at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. 

This year, Dr. Elisha Lewis will provide the keynote address. Lewis, a Louisiana native residing in Charleston, West Virginia, is a professor in West Virginia State University's Education Department. Crowned Mrs. West Virginia American 2021, she advocates for underrepresented students and actively engages in community service projects and mentoring to support their college, career, and life success.

The ceremony can be viewed live on the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs Facebook Page or on the broadcast scheduled for Friday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m. from WV Public Broadcasting, the West Virginia Channel.

You can find your station here (Use column labeled “WVPB”).

This year, light refreshments will be served immediately following the Ecumenical Service. A march to the Capitol steps will then commence at 12 p.m. with the bell-ringing to begin at 12:15 p.m. The event is open to the public and free of charge. 
 
"This annual celebration of the life of Dr. King is a longstanding statewide favorite,” HHOMA Executive Director and Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission Chair Jill Upson said. "This year's theme: 'It starts with me: Shifting the cultural climate through the study and practice of Kingian nonviolence,' is certainly applicable in current times."