Tomorrow, Atlantans will gather to celebrate and discuss the legacy of the city's favored son, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – only weeks ahead of the unveiling of a monument erected in honor of the Civil Rights leader on the Capital’s National Mall.
On Saturday, August 6, the "Table of Brotherhood Project" Tour will pull into Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College for a panel discussion set for 2:00PM – 6:00PM. The event is one of many celebrations and commemorations in preparation for the opening of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. Radio advertisements and media alerts have announced that Roland Martin, CNN and TV One journalist, is set to host the panel discussion, which has been described as an opportunity to explore the teachings of Dr. King within the context of today’s challenges. Among the highly anticipated panelists are Congressman John Lewis (GA), State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan, director Spike Lee, and motivational speaker Lisa Nichols. Education, youth, and the progress of Civil Rights are among the topics planned for discussion.
Tomorrow’s event will no doubt hold special meaning for local attendees, given Dr. King’s roots in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn community and his status as an honored alumni of Morehouse College. After all, the people of Atlanta have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to the legacy of Dr. King, and this city is the site of The King Center and other significant tributes and memorials to the life of the humanitarian and activist.
The tour is part of a broader “Table of Brotherhood” project created by Chevrolet – one of a number of corporate partners connected or sought for participation in the larger memorial fundraising and promotion project, which has been spearheaded for over 25 years by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., to which Dr. King belonged. The project also includes an online social networking site for sharing ideas and materials related to Dr. King’s life, work, and teachings.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial will be the first on the National Mall not dedicated to a former President of the United States, and the significance of the event has not been lost on the local community. The Atlanta Voice reports that a number of families, church groups and civic organizations are planning pilgrimages to the monument, set to open to the public on August 22.
Websites have been developed to assist travelers, and a series of events throughout the week will commemorate the opening of the memorial, which will be dedicated in an official ceremony on August 28. The date will mark the 48th Anniversary of the March On Washington of 1963, when Dr. King delivered his famed “I have a Dream” Speech. The monument has been erected only steps from the Lincoln Memorial, the site where Dr. King shared his vision, and the hope that: “One day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.”
Saturday’s panel discussion at Morehouse College is open to the public.
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Event: Table of Brotherhood Project Panel Discussion, moderated by Roland Martin.
When: Saturday, August 6, 2011 from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Where: Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel on the Campus of Morehouse College, 830 Westview Drive, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30314
Parking: $3.00, Westview Drive Entrance Parking Lot
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