On Monday, January 20, the Sullivan County NAACP and First Baptist Church of South Fallsburg celebrated the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The gathering memorialized Dr. King with a service of worship that was attended by nearly four dozen people from all walks of life, including law enforcement, politicians, church members, and the larger Sullivan County community. 

Sr. Pastor Reverend Paul L. Weather set the tone with a call for unity.

“We’re here celebrating a life…of one who understood that he could not do it alone. It’s my prayer tonight that we as one…lay down whatever differences we may have and come together and find a way to keep the dream alive.” 

Reverend Dr. Harry L. Brown Jr. introduced the invocation by Reverend Douglas Bowman, of Grace Lutheran Church, who thanked God for the opportunity to come together and “celebrate a man…who did nothing but represent your Kingdom here on earth.” He also thanked the NAACP and “the ones who are standing out there on the front lines fighting for democracy and rights.”

After scriptures from the Old and New Testament of the Bible were read, the audience stood for a joyful acapella rendition of “Lift every voice and sing,” which is a hymn that was written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900. 125 years later, David Jett, leader of NAACP’s Sullivan County Chapter, gave his remarks: “Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s greatness was anchored in his desire to serve, rooted in his obedience to his call, and guided by his strength to love. Today we celebrate Dr. King’s personal sacrifice, and we recommit ourselves to his vision for a peaceful world founded on the powerful principles of love, nonviolence, economic and social justice for the entire human family. May we, in the spirit of Dr. King, put on the whole armour of God, and stand against the unjust actions and unfair policies of oppressive governments.”

Alvin Dumas, the Town of Thompson Historian, framed Dr. King’s legacy in a historical context by giving a brief biography of the iconic civil rights leader. “Dr. King’s oratory skills and his intellect gave many the opportunity to learn and challenge the power structure in a unique way- by nonviolence, which became his signature method. It was on December 1st, 1955, when Dr. King’s civil rights career began, taking up the cause of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the 78 City Bus. Dr. King gained media attention to bring civil rights to the forefront of national issues.” 

Dumas told the story of when Dr. King graced the region with a visit just before his death. 

“Dr. King spoke at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake on Monday, March 25, 1968, ten days before his assassination in Memphis. He was invited by longtime friend Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel to a Rabbinical Assembly Convention [to speak on] social justice.” 

After the speech, Dr King left Monticello and travelled to Memphis to assist in the sanitation strike. The Concord Hotel speech was his next to last speech, before making his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech the night before he was assassinated. King was 39 years old when he was shot and killed in Memphis on Thursday, April 4, 1968.

The night’s theme of unity was further instilled by Fallsburg Councilman