The City of Evanston’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration returned this year to Evanston’s Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center at 1655 Foster St. with a filled event space on Saturday, Jan. 13.
Tim Rhoze of Evanston, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre artistic director, described the recent history of Evanston’s MLK event, indicating the early COVID-19 pandemic years brought the event to a virtual format with last year being held in-person at Evanston collaborating partner, the Music Institute of Chicago.
“It was time to bring it back home, as they say,” Rhoze said. “And so, here in the heart of the 5th Ward where people way before me, with (the late Evanston) Mayor (Lorraine) Morton leading the march and making sure that this day of celebration for Martin Luther King was celebrated throughout the community. So it’s great to have it back.”
Ken Cherry, the city’s manager of the community and arts division who has spent years managing the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, said, “I am just excited to have MLK back. It’s a wonderful thing to celebrate, we should celebrate, it’s good that Fleetwood Jourdain is on the forefront of the celebration for the City of Evanston and we are excited to have it back in house here at Fleetwood.”
Monday, Jan. 15 is the holiday for 2024 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered worldwide with community events, discussion and more. People often share King’s “I Have a Dream” 1963 speech.
“It’s always the right time to do the right thing,” Rhoze said of Dr. King’s message. “Everybody needs to get their own individual platform first and do right and then collectively, all our rights together will make everything beautiful.”
The event itinerary featured emcee Matthew Hunter, performances including the Evanston Children’s Choir and Faith Temple Combined Choir, commentary including by 5th Ward Councilmember Bobby Burns plus keynote speaker Rev. Carlis L. Moody, Jr., pastor of Faith Temple Church of God in Christ of Evanston.
The song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” helped to launch the noon program after which Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss offered podium remarks from the stage.
“Dr. King’s words were such an extraordinary inspiration,” Biss said. “And the symbolism that he embodied and the moral clarity and the moral courage that he lived are so captivating that sometimes when we talk about him, we forget to just name the extraordinary list of accomplishments.
“It wasn’t just words, it wasn’t just a morally powerful leader, it was someone who completely changed the world,” Biss said. “We wouldn’t have had a civil rights act in this country without the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and wouldn’t have had a voting rights act. He was able to transform that inspiration with leadership into action that changed lives in this country and that continue to change lives in this country.”
Bobby Burns said about MLK, “He was a man of courage. I think he has set a wonderful example for all of us.”
Singing with the Faith Temple Combined Choir was Chamaya Moody of Round Lake.
Of participating and sharing through music, “Music, I think is the most unifying thing in the world, it goes past boundaries, past continents,” Moody said.
“Martin Luther King means a lot to me, his legacy means a lot to me,” she said. “And it’s just great to be able to leave something for people to take with them.”
Also receiving vibrant applause by community members was the Evanston Children’s Choir. Vivian Georgiadis, 9, a fourth-grader of Evanston, had her own special fan in the audience, her mother Emily York.
“Oh, I’m so proud,” York said of daughter Vivian. “I love that more children in Evanston are so much more aware of diversity and celebrating it in this generation. That’s why we live here.”
For Vivian, having the opportunity to sing with the Evanston Children’s Choir had her saying about the choir, “I love it.”
Vivian spoke about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in that, “I know that he made a big statement for Black history.
“He was a really good man,” Vivian said with a smile. “He was amazing.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
