Darlington community celebrates life, ideas of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
The 31st Annual Darlington County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Celebration convened at noon on January 16 at First Baptist Church of Darlington.
The event included prayers from pastors and community leaders, songs from numerous church choirs and schools, and readings conveying the enduring goals of peace and unity to which Dr. King devoted his life.
In his remarks, guest Rev. E.B. Burroughs of Cherry Grove Baptist Church observed that American society is still plagued by divisions of race, religion, education, and opportunity, but we must continue trying to bridge those divisions for the sake of future generations.
Rev. E.B. Burroughs speaks during an event held at First Baptist Church, commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Photos by Samantha Lyles
“As long as we have all of these divisions, we will continue to be faced with problems, one after another,” said Rev. Burroughs. “Whatever we do, let us not forget to educate the children, to teach them all the things it’s possible for them to learn, and to help them to grow into the people of God.”
Darlington County School District superintendent Dr. Eddie Ingram shared the story of his visit to the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Ingram also spoke of the increasing diversity among the 10,000 students in Darlington County public schools, noting that families in the district speak fourteen different languages. He finished by observing that while greater diversity is a step in the right direction, there is still much ground to cover and churches must play a greater role to unify these disparate groups.
“Eleven o’clock on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour in our country, and I think churches like we have here in Darlington need to step up to the plate to change that,” Ingram said.
The event was sponsored by Darlington County Cultural Realism Complex, Darlington County Family Vision Center, First Baptist Church, and many other churches, agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals.
