Volunteers Lauren Baratta, from left, Keyera Collins and Matt Oates, employees of Burns & McDonnell, painted a mural of Martin Luther King Jr., during MLK Day of Service at Pitcher Elementary School, 9915 East 38th Terrace, on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in Kansas City.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is January 15. This year, we recognize the day with a national holiday on Monday, January 19. King’s birthday was made a federal holiday reluctantly by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed legislation into law, transforming the King holiday from a simple vacation day into a day of civic participation and volunteerism. Hence, we refer to it as “a day on,” rather than “a day off.”
In the Kansas City area, each year, this holiday comes with a series of celebrations held in cities across the metro area. This past weekend, I joined about a hundred others at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s annual Interfaith Service, held at the Community Christian Church near the Plaza to kick off the week leading up to celebrations commemorating the birthday of this iconic non-violent leader of America’s Civil Rights Movement.
The Jewish Community Relations Bureau and the American Jewish Committee, along with the SCLC, sponsored the event. The program, under the theme: “Tied in a Single Garment of Destiny,” included a panel discussion about how King’s non-violent work for unity, civil rights, economic and social justice for all is being championed and practiced today across racial and religious lines.
Who was there
Rabbi Talia Kaplan, from congregation Beth Shalom, gave the Jewish perspective; Dr. Sofia Khan, who runs KC for Refugees, gave the Muslim perspective; Bishop Frank Douglas, pastor at Beth-Judah Ministries Church of God in Christ, gave the Christian perspective; and Mark Johnson, with the Spiritual Assembly of Baha’i, gave the Baha’i perspective.
For years, as I raised my now-grown sons in Kansas City, my husband — now deceased — and I would talk with our two boys about the struggles and the legacy of Dr. King and take them to city-wide events in memory of King. We read and discussed his 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,’ with them.
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
The interfaith service was always among the events we attended as a family. We also would attend the citywide MLK Mass Celebration, which this year is being held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 at St. James Methodist Church, 5540 Wayne Ave., just off the Paseo, in Kansas City. The theme this year is “Defending Democracy and Repairing Black Lives.” St. James’ pastor, the Rev. Emanuel Cleaver III, is the keynote speaker.
My family would get to the Mass Celebration really early so we could get a seat. It’s always packed.
Honoring a friend
I was invited to attend the interfaith service on Sunday by the Rev. Vernon Percy Howard Jr., president of the SCLC of Greater Kansas City and senior pastor at St. Mark Church, to receive an award given to my friend and mentor, Helen Gray, who passed away in 2023. She was 81.
Gray was the first African American woman hired as a reporter at The Star, which is where I had the pleasure of meeting her. Early in her career, Gray had covered the civil rights movement and later became the news organization’s faith editor.
Gray, a talented journalist, was a trailblazer who carved a pathway for journalists like me to work in this industry and tell the stories of Black and brown folks who too often had been ignored in mainstream media.
I was honored to be even a small part of posthumously honoring Gray with the Evelyn Wasserstrom Award. Wasserstrom, who died in 1988, was the director of the Kansas City branch of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and a founder of the MLK Interfaith Service. The award was created in 1991 to recognize the work people were doing or had done on behalf of minorities and oppressed people. Gray was a worthy recipient.
Off The Vine
Below are stories about culture and identity from communities in the Kansas City metro area metro area. Go here to find more stories on culture and identity from Star reporter J.M. Banks.
- Founder of a Kansas City non-profit is making a career out of documenting the lives of Black artists and performers from Kansas City. Banks spent some time with the group and explains why the work is important.
- A new floral shop has opened in South Kansas City that’s doing more than arranging and selling flowers. Banks talked to the owner who is expanding her service to customers. Here’s how.
Around The Vine
- Join those across the city honoring the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the SCLC sponsored MLK Mass Celebration at 6 p.m. Jan. 19 at St. James Methodist Church, 5540 Wayne Ave. in Kansas City.
- If jazz is your thing, join Isaiah Petrie for a free Jazz Thursday at 8 p.m. on Jan. 15 at The Ship, 1221 Union Ave., Kansas City.
Vine Picks
- The man charged in the death of a Wyandotte County boy, was a neighbor and trusted by the family. Star reporter Laura Bauer got an exclusive interview with the boy’s grieving father.
- Looks like an AI campus might be moving into the Crossroads and taking up space in the green glass building that once housed The Star’s presses and newsroom. Star development reporter Chris Higgins has details on the building and company that bought it.
- This young entrepreneur returned home to Kansas City to finish plans he started when he was a teen for a cool social club. Now he’s making it happen and Star reporter Rashad Alexander talked with him about how he’s doing it and why it’s a spot needed here.
- This longtime Kansas City bakery and deli owner is retiring. Reporter Jenna Thompson went to find out what’s next.
Your voice matters to us. What local issues do you want to hear discussed in On The Vine? Let me, Mará Rose Williams, The Star’s assistant managing editor for race and equity, know directly at [email protected]. Thank you for reading.
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