slated for Jan. 15

By Angie Long

An opportunity to remember the legacy of America's foremost civil rights leader is returning to the Camellia City Monday, January 15.

The Butler County Civic League is once again sponsoring the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at the Dunbar Recreation Center in Greenville. The event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. at the center, where a full southern-style breakfast will be served to attendees.

King, born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Ga., attended Morehouse College and furthered his studies at Boston University, where he received his doctorate in systematic theology in 1955.

King served as the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, and at age 35, was the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He was noted for his non-violent approach to civil disobedience.

King's speeches and writings are considered some of the greatest of the century. The civil rights leader was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tenn.

&#8220We look upon this occasion each year to honor Dr. King's memory and welcome all who can come and be with us,” Chairperson Vonciel Bedgood said.

Tickets for the non-profit event are $4 each.

Following the breakfast, guest speaker Jerome Gray will take the podium.

Gray is state field director for the Alabama Democratic Conference (the black political caucus of Alabama) and has held that position for 27 years.

Gray attended graduate school at Stanford University for two years, studying creative writing on a Ford Foundation Fellowship.

A native of Evergreen, Gray has also served as a public school teacher; a college textbook representative for Scott, Foresman and Company, and a staff assistant and office manager to former U.S. Senator Donal Stewart of Alabama.

Gray co-authored both &#8220The History of the Alabama State Teachers Association,” (1987) and the chapter on Alabama in the highly regarded book-length study, &#8220Quiet Revolution in the South: The Impact of the 1965 Voting Rights Act - 1990,” published by the Princeton University Press in 1994.

He is viewed by many as one of the most knowledgeable and respected voices in black politics in the state.

For tickets or more information on next Monday's breakfast, contact Vonciel Bedgood at 376-9596.