In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Culver City will host its sixth annual tribute on Saturday, Jan. 15 at the Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Ave. Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. and will last all day. The highlight of the celebration will be a presentation of the award-winning documentary, Freedom Riders, which chronicles the harrowing journey of 400 civil rights activists who travelled by bus through the South in 1961 to fight for equality and justice.
The screening will be followed by a five-member panel discussion on civil rights. Dr. Mitchell Curry, who was a student activist in the 1950s and marched with Dr. King, will give a keynote address about the early days of the civil rights movement and will be joined on the panel by Dr. Robert and Helen Singleton - two original Freedom Riders. They will be joined by community organizer and Culver City High School graduate Melnelik Tafari and student organizer Kenyatta McLean, who represent the post-civil rights movement generation.
Keith David will serve as master of ceremonies and moderator for the panel discussion. David is best known for his roles in Platoon, Crash and Death at a Funeral. In addition to his stage and acting career, he has won Emmys for his narration of two Ken Burns PBS documentaries. He will also play a leading role as the criminal illusionist Max Malini in the upcoming NBC pilot series The Cape.
David will be joined by some of Culver City’s finest local talent including the Culver City High School’s Madrigal Singers, led by Dr. Tony Spano; The Culver City High School Jazz Combo; Phillip Small conducting the West Los Angeles College Jazz Ensemble; vocalist, “CHIKK,” singing the Star Spangled Banner; and Nelval Sandefur leading the audience in Lift Every Voice and Sing.
The MLK tribute will also feature a Culver City High School MLK essay contest. Culver City High School seniors were invited to submit an essay on the theme, “Dr. King … Continuing to Inspire.” They were asked how Dr. King has inspired them to be a leader and given a series of quotes from which to build their essays around. The essays were judged by the Culver City Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Committee. The top three essayists received coaching from actor Keith David and will read their responses at the tribute.
“We are delighted to have been able to assemble such a wide variety of gifted Culver City performers to pay to tribute to Dr. King and his legacy,” says Patricia Siever, chairperson of the Culver City Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Committee. “This is our best lineup by far and we want everyone to come out and enjoy all the festivities.” In addition to the performances, there will be activities for children, refreshments and a birthday cake. All festivities are free and open to the public. For more information, call (310) 253-6675 or visit culvercity.org.
