Rosa Parks leads list of 15 honorees
Harris-Stowe State University will host the 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Statewide Kick-off Program on Saturday, January 7 at 6:30 p.m. Prominent guests from the local area and around the state will speak about Dr. King’s historical vision, as applied to St. Louis and the entire nation, as reflected in the event’s theme, “Celebrating 20 Years of Embracing the Vision – Fulfilling the Dream.”
Co-masters of ceremonies Vickie Newton, news anchor for KMOV-TV, Channel 4, and Russ Mitchell, anchor for CBS Evening News, will recognize numerous influential political figures from the city and state, including Governor Matt Blunt, Mayor Francis G. Slay and County Executive Charlie Dooley.
Harris-Stowe is excited to welcome as keynote speaker the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former Mayor of Atlanta, the Honorable Andrew Young.
The program will feature a variety of entertainment, including the Fuerza Salsera Dance Company, Denise Thimes, the Harris-Stowe State University Concert Chorale, The Cameron Youth Orchestra, The Jazz Edge and the Sheila Rabbit Dancers.
Another highlight of the evening will be the presentation of 15 special awards in the fields of community service, civil rights, entrepreneurship and business, regional leadership, media and black history.
This year, the commission will recognize the late Rosa Parks with its Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award, granted posthumously, and a special tribute to her life and work.
Andrew Young will receive the Distinguished Chairman’s Award.
The Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and the United Way will share honors as Distinguished Cooperative Organization for their dedicated service to survivors of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
Slay and Dooley will share the Distinguished Cooperative Regional Leadership Award for their efforts to coordinate efforts by the city and county to their mutual benefit.
Russ Mitchell will receive the Distinguished National Journalism Award. American City Editor Alvin A. Reid will receive the Distinguished Local Media Award. Sylvester Brown of the Post-Dispatch will receive the Distinguished Columnist Award.
Veteran Fox 2 news anchor Dick Ford will receive the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in Media Award and veteran reporter Sharon Stevens of KSDK Newschannel 5 will receive the Distinguished Education Reporter Award.
The Regional Business Council will receive the Distinguished Business Collaboration Award, and Vince Bommarito will receive the Distinguished Community Service Award.
Lois Conley, founder and curator of the Black World History Museum, will receive the Distinguished Black History Recognition Award, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will receive the Distinguished Civil Rights Award.
The program, which is sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. State Celebration Commission, is free and open to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served. A reception, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc., and featuring the Motown Revue, will follow the program.
Harris-Stowe State University is located at 3026 Laclede Avenue in Midtown.
