Southington 16th Annual MLK Celebration: Message pairs music and using personal talents to promote understanding.
Originally published in the
Southington Citzen January 20, 2012.
A frigid Sunday, January 15, 2012 didn’t deter a large and brave audience from attending the 16th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration at First Baptist Church in Southington. Cheryl Hilton-Campbell, event M.C., gently led the program. “Living Martin King, Jr.’s Legacy in the 21st Century:. The event opened with a cordial welcome and invocation by Rev. Jerrie Shepard Matney, pastor of the hosting church, included musical selections of the youth choral group known as Spirit Joy which under the leadership of Sr. Marie Roccapiore, performed uplifting music of God, country and hope for humanity. Dr. Aaron A. Flagg, Dean of the Hartt School was guest speaker. In his remarks, he suggested that “we reflect on three qualities Dr. King lived which impacted his effectiveness in leading: A passion for people and their potential, courage and moral leadership and great knowledge and intellectual integrity.”
Combining his extensive background in music at the higher education level as well as his intertwined professional career as an accomplished trumpet player, Flagg offered some practical thoughts on “how the arts can encourage and assist us living them ourselves.” The speaker’s message was one for the present and the future based on the heritage of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work and lifetime commitment to all men living together in peace, harmony and love of one another, free of prejudice and hatred based on diversity of color, creed, race, ethnic origins and other differences.
