While Missouri’s lone statue commemorating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. will not stand majestically over the celebration in his name in Fountain Park, the event will echo the slain civil rights leader’s words and legacy.
This year’s theme for the Eighth Annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Fountain Park Holiday Observance is “The Courage to Begin Anew: Affirming Dignity and Action in the Face of Adversity.”
It encompasses what thousands of St. Louisans have been experiencing since the May 16 tornado destroyed Centennial Christian Church and devastated the surrounding Fountain Park and Lewis Place neighborhoods.
King’s 11-foot statue, which was installed in 1978, was severely damaged, and its refurbishment continues.
The observance will bring together an array of faith-based, civic, neighborhood and service organizations as co-hosts.
Joining to honor King are Centennial Christian Church; Fountain Park and Lewis Place Neighborhood Association; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Epsilon Lambda Chapter and Foundation; Central West End Church; People’s Community Action Corp.; St. Louis Public Schools; The Jackson Law Firm; Democratic Committeewoman Yolonda “Yogi” Yancie; and Mission STL.
“Every year of this observance is important, but this one is especially because of the tornado and recovery. It takes courage to start anew, and this is what Centennial and these neighborhoods are doing,” said Brian Hurd, a former Alpha Phi Alpha Epsilon Lambda chapter president.
“While the monument is missed and we look forward to its return to Fountain Park, we know that Dr. King would not want a statue of himself. He would want a call to public service in his name, which so many organizations have done in the months following the tornado.”
The day will begin with a Unity Gathering from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the base of the King statue in Fountain Park, 4950 Fountain Ave.
The keynote address will be delivered by Joseph Salvador Palm, a commissioner with the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and a former regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“Neighborhoods are everything, and neighborhoods are taking the lead,” said Hurd.
The gathering will bring community members together in reflection, prayer and solidarity at a site deeply connected to King’s legacy and the neighborhood’s ongoing recovery. Organizers say the observance is designed to move beyond ceremony, echoing King’s call to remain united, love collectively and rise together in the face of adversity.
Following the morning gathering, the observance will continue with an MLK Youth Educational Program from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at People’s Health Center, 5701 Delmar Blvd.
The youth program will feature educational presentations, dramatizations and artistic experiences centered on King’s principles of service, dignity and unity. Lunch will be provided, and registration is required.
For additional information please contact Centennial Christian Church at 314-367-1818 or by email at mlk@stlalphas.com