Group gears up for upcoming celebration of MLK Day

The African-American Cultural Preservation Committee on Saipan will host a series of lectures, presentations, and other activities in celebration of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 16.

AACPC president Joe Hill said they will have a “very full program this year” to commemorate the work and contributions of the American clergyman who became a prominent leader in the African-America Civil Rights Movement.

This year’s theme, “Being Drum Majors for Justice: Keeping Up the Beat in the Marianas,” will be discussed in detail by keynote speaker, Dr. Amos C. Brown, a renowned civil rights advocate, activist, orator, and student of King.

Brown worked intimately with King, Clarence Mitchell, Medgar Evers, and Jesse Jackson in promoting non-violent activism in the ’60s, having been jailed twice along with King. He is a recognized civil rights leader whose particular focus is on the rights of blacks, women, and the Jewish community.

Brown is noted for having given the “most eloquent, convincing, cogent, and damnable pill of particulars” in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee against Clarence Thomas’ appointment to the Supreme Court.

Brown’s schedule of activities on Thursday include a presentation at the Saipan Community School on the role of the youth in the civil rights movement; a special “Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.” to be aired from 10am to 11am on KKMP 1440 AM and 92.1 FM; and a civil rights movement presentation for the man’amko at the Aging Center.

On Friday, Brown will conduct a presentation titled “The Use to Public Speaking Skills to Affect Social Change” to the students of the National Forensic League at the Marianas High School.

The next day, Jan. 14, Brown will be at the Northern Marianas College for a presentation on the history of the civil rights movement.

This Sunday, Brown will guest at the “Your Humanities Half-Hour” which airs at 2pm on Power 99.5 FM and hosted by Catherine Perry.

The event will be highlighted by a commemoration program at the American Memorial Park on Monday. The program will begin with a pre-march orientation and prayer featuring Brown and other original civil rights era members at the parking lot.

The Civil Rights era march will be re-enacted and estimated at 40 minutes, which will begin from the American Memorial Park south down Beach Road to Bank of Guam, then going back and taking a left on Coconut Street, then going right on Coral Tree Ave. and back to American Memorial Park where Brown will deliver his keynote address at the Visitors Center Theatre.

“It’s a great opportunity for parents and students to spend healthy, quality time together experiencing the energy of a civil rights march in 2012 led by individuals who were actually there in the 1950s and 1960s,” said AACPC’s Ambrose Bennett.

Hill said AACPC is encouraging all students and parents to carry and display their favorite civil rights era march protest signs, banners, and mottos. Prizes and certificates for the top three winners for individuals and schools will be awarded during Brown’s keynote program.

On Monday evening from 7:30pm to 9pm, Brown will host a reflections as well a question-and-answer session at the Pacific Islands Club Charley’s Cabaret dubbed, “An Evening with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., As I Knew Him.”

The next day, Jan. 17, Brown will guest once again at KKMP, this time for the “Fino Man’amko” talk show from 10am to 11am.

The Humanities Council is the main sponsor for this year’s celebration. Other sponsors are Aquarius Beach Tower, Hyatt Regency Saipan, and Pacific Islands Club.

For more information, contact Hill at 234-7743 or 6806 or email joe.hill@saipan.com, or AACPC secretary Ellen Delos Santos at 285-2847.