Joliet paying tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. with weekend of events

Joliet will mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a full weekend of events.

A banquet with panel discussion and awards will be held Saturday, and a church service in honor of King is on Sunday

The annual day of service, in which volunteers make contributions to their community, will be on Monday.

But those are just a few of the activities that will take place around town as Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches on Monday, said Christopher Parker, president of the African American Business Association.

“The MLK weekend for me represents the spirit of what Martin Luther King’s message was,” Parker said. “Some people may not understand. They may may ask, Why Martin Luther King Day?”

“I think it’s all about his message that he preached while he was here that had a significant effect on the world and the civil rights movement,” Parker said.

This is a time when we drop everything and focus on what we can do as a people. This is a time to figure out what is that unfinished business and what needs to be done.”
— Christopher Parker, president of African American Business Association.

Candidate for Joliet City Council District 4 Christopher Parker speaks at a forum for the candidates at the Joliet Public Library on Thursday, March 9th, 2023 in Joliet. — Christopher Parker is president of the African American Business Association in Joliet. (Gary Middendorf – gmiddendorf@shawmedia/Gary Middendorf)

The African American Business Association is one of the sponsors for an MLK Brunch and Celebration that will include awards to people who have made contributions to the community and a panel discussion on the topic “After the Dream: Mobilizing Unfinished Business.”

“This is a time when we drop everything and focus on what we can do as a people,” Parker said. “This is a time to figure out what is that unfinished business and what needs to be done.”

Saturday banquet

The event is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at D’Amore Banquets, 113 Republic Ave. The doors open at 10:30 a.m.

Tickets are $45, which includes brunch. A $60 ticket also buys VIP seating. Tickets can be purchased on the Zeffy website will continue to be available up the time of the banquet.

The discussion panel will feature: Emanuel “Chris” Welch, speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives; Will County Associate Judge Rolonda V. Mitchell; Housing Authority of Joliet CEO Michael Simelton; and state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet.

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, is pictured at a news conference in the governor’s office earlier this year. — Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, will be among the speakers in a panel discussion in Joliet at a banquet on Saturday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Jerry Nowicki)

Bonnie Winfrey, CEO of Kailen and Kyler Enterprises, will be the moderator for the discussion.

Community Collaboration Award recipients at the event will be:

• Latoya Medina, founder of Toni Medina Youth Center

• Laurie Veasy, vice president with NuMark Credit Union

• The Rev. Wendell Martin, pastor of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church

• Sheldon Watts, founder of the Alliance for Civic Engagement

• Luther E. Johnson Jr., founder of History on Wheels

History on Wheels Founder Luther E. Johnson Jr. shares remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony and Juneteenth celebration at the African Descendants Military and Historical Museum in Joliet on June 19, 2024. — History on Wheels Founder Luther E. Johnson Jr. seen in June speaking outside the African Descendants Military and Historical Museum he is creating in Joliet. Johnson is among recipients of Community Collaboration Awards that will be presented during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on Saturday. (Laurie Fanelli)

The event was organized by the African American Business Association and the Joliet chapter of the National Hook-Up of Black Women.

Sunday MLK celebration

On Sunday, the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration to honor his legacy will be held at 6 p.m. in Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 402 Singleton Place, Joliet.

A church service that will serve as a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. will be open to the general public.

The event is presented by the Joliet Chapter of the Rainbow Bush Coalition, NAACP Joliet, Lebanon Baptist District Association of Joliet, and Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Volunteers work at Rock Run Forest Preserve in Joliet on Monday. Volunteers helped remove brush as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. — Volunteers remove brush at at Rock Run Forest Preserve in Joliet during a past day of service held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Lathan Goumas)

Monday Day of Service

On Monday, the MLK Day of Service will originate at Joliet Central High School.

There is no school because of the Martin Luther King Day holiday. The event is held to devote a portion of the day to community involvement.

Students and other volunteers will sign up for a variety of projects to assist nonprofits and other organizations in the community.

The day begins with a check-in and breakfast from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. A welcoming ceremony is held at 8:15 a.m.

Volunteer service follows from 9 a.m. to noon. The event ends with a lunch and entertainment from noon to 2 p.m.

This is the 17th MLK Day of Service in Joliet.

To volunteer and for more information, visit jthsorg.finalsite.com.