For many years, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Lewisburg has been a time for people to gather together at 11 AM for a march from the Greenbrier County Courthouse to the Lewisburg United Methodist Church for a community lunch followed by a program in the sanctuary at 12:30 p.m. The event serves as a commemoration of the efforts and sacrifices of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the many people involved in the civil rights movement in the past and in the present.

While people are arriving at the section of the street in front of the courthouse, they hear recordings of songs such as “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize” which were important during the time that Martin Luther King, Jr. participated in the struggles to reach that prize. An invocation by a pastor from a church in the area helps connect the day’s event with the ones at which Reverend Dr. King was so influential.

Everyone takes some time to zero in on their reasons for being there. In 2018, Gloria Martin of Lewisburg said, “I’m glad to be here to march at the Martin Luther King Celebration in Lewisburg. On the one hand, I’m sorry that we still need to do this to pursue the justice and freedom that Martin Luther King stood for. But on the other hand, I’m encouraged that so many people saw fit to come: the old, the young, and in between.”

The Lewisburg Mayor then reads the proclamation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Week which
commences at that time. That proclamation includes references to the theme of the day’s celebration for
that year. This coming January 15th Mayor Beverly White will be referring to the theme that fits with
the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. in his speech in February of 1968: “There comes a time when
one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but he must take it because
conscience tells him it is right.”

The marchers sing as they traverse a little less than five blocks to the church, and the pace is fairly
brisk. This happens even though, unlike Lewisburg’s Shanghai Parade and the Christmas Parade, the last
couple of blocks are definitely uphill.

For several years, Lisa and Sandy Carter of Blue Moon Bagels and formerly of The Bakery on
North Court Street have faithfully catered the complimentary lunch of chili and wraps. They will be
doing that for the event this coming January 15th. The community lunch greatly increases the camaraderie of the participants during the whole event and thus, its effectiveness. WVSOM students and
Americorps members have excelled as volunteers helping with the lunch.

By 12:30 PM most of the people easily make their way to the church sanctuary for the program via
a long staircase next to the fellowship hall, but some may take the elevator. Singing of “Lift Every Voice
and Sing” occurs soon after a welcome from the minister of the Lewisburg United Methodist Church, and
that will be the most hospitable Rev. Bev Colombo. Everyone contributes to the solemn yet hopeful
experience of singing this hymn with words by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson and music by
his brother John Rosamond Johnson.

Over the past few years, High Rocks, Nevaeh Traynham, and the Resurrecting Praise Community Choir have all given inspiring Martin Luther King Day performances. To have all of them on the afternoon’s program for the upcoming event will be a splendid thing.

In the past, few of the event’s keynote speakers grew up in Greenbrier or surrounding counties. This year’s featured speaker will be Mark Hickman, who attended Greenbrier East High School. He is now on the faculty of West Chester University near Philadelphia and is a scholar of speech, with a particular interest in public speaking. Not only will he be an excellent speaker, he will also set a good example for the winners of the middle school essay contest who will be there to read their winning essays
based on the theme for the year’s event.

This year’s march and celebration takes place on Monday, January 15, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Marchers meet in front of the Greenbrier County Courthouse.

People can be sponsors by sending checks made out to MLK Day Committee c/o CYAC at 112 Courtney Dr., Lewisburg, WV 24901.