Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. honored

On Monday morning Dr. Andreanna Jones, associate superintendent of the Taliaferro County School District, Dr. Victoria Seals, president of Atlanta Technical College, and Rev. Frances Harper, pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church spoke and continued the theme of unity.

“That is something that we know that Dr. King stood for everyday of his life, and I just want to say to all of you today that in the spirit of unity, together we are the dream” Jones said. “We are the dream.”

She added that unity is vital to communities.

“I just believe on today that this very concept of unity, togetherness, comeradery, harmony, was reiterated by Dr. King himself during his final speech just hours before his assassination in Memphis, TN, when he stood speaking to the people about disparity, speaking about injustice, speaking about oppression," she said. "But in spite of all of those things, he turned around and he told the people that through the Lord and through the Holy Spirit that he himself had been to the mountain top and he had seen the Promised Land. He had seen the vision of us, as a people of color, walking into our promised land.”

She said people of color need to take advantage of every opportunity they’ve been afforded. 

“When we as a people are not afforded those opportunities, it is our job to build those opportunities for ourselves,” Jones said.

Seals also spoke about community.

“We’re here together to remember and to honor the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Seals said. 

She talked about Dr. King and his love for community.

According to Seals, over 60 years ago, Dr. King wrote the words, “The end is the creation of a beloved community.”

Seals said Dr. King believed this ideal could be achieved, but he knew the realization of the dream would require

a collaborative effort across social systems.

Seals talked about what she thinks it means to have a beloved community mindset.

“I believe it takes responsibility, opportunity, and legacy. It means that each of us has to recognize our individual responsibility to the larger idea. In everything we do we contribute to or detract from the strength of the whole,” Seals said. “So, let’s make a concerted effort to be contributors. Through our single selves we bring something to the collective that no one else can bring. We are valuable, we must respect the value in others.”

Harper was the final guest speaker to share her thoughts.

“I come to tell you today my brothers and sisters that this is our time,” Harper said. “It is our opportunity to stand together as a community and seize this moment. Shout the walls of racism down, to shout the walls of crime down, to shout the walls of poverty down. To get out and vote regardless of voter suppression.”

She added that everyone has to be willing to go to local meetings in their respective cities, governments, and schools.

“Stay on top of not some things, but stay on top of everything,” Harper said.

Warren County then unveiled a new name for Cedar Park, and they will be renaming Cedar Place, to honor Dr. King.

Mayor Chris McCorkle said Ken Blair came up with the idea to rename these two places in honor of Dr. King.

“Being here today, it really fits the theme of this celebration that we have today,” McCorkle said. “This is certainly a place of unity, community, and opportunity. We’re excited to be a part of it.”

He said the city and the county worked well together and shared Blair’s vision to get this rededication done.

John Graham, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, thanked Blair for the time he put into this.

“We’re glad we were able to come together,” Graham said.

Brandon Lynn, who played a key role in helping set up these celebrations, said they do so to celebrate Dr. King and foster community.

“This year’s goal was to bring the community together even more and to make their voice heard,” Lynn said. “To make people want to speak up, to make people want to join in together and make collaborative opportunities.”