Jan. 6—Organizers are adding final touches to preparations for the upcoming Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Ceremony and Unity Banquet.
The MLK Commemorative Ceremony is set for 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, at the Mount Triumph Baptist Church, 408 E. Wyandotte Ave., with the public welcome to attend the free event.
On the following evening, the MLK Unity Banquet is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, at the McAlester High School Cafeteria, at 1 Buffalo Dr.
Tickets for the Unity Banquet are $10 each and are available from members of the Pittsburg County Holiday Commission. Tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the banquet, organizers said.
Wayne Hanway, of McAlester, is this year’s speaker for the Friday, Jan. 12, Commemorative Ceremony at Mount Triumph Baptist Church.
Motivational speaker and author Tony L. Harris is featured speaker for the Saturday, Jan. 13, Unity Banquet at the MHS Cafeteria.
Music will be a part of both events, with the MLK Unity Choir performing Friday and Saturday under the direction of Loise Washington. The MLK Youth Choir, under the direction of Rosalyn Jones, will perform at the MLK Unity Banquet.
Theme for both of the McAlester events is “Living the Dream; It Starts With Me — Spreading Hope, Courage and Unity.”
In advance of the events, McAlester Mayor John Browne issued a proclamation declaring Jan. 15, 2024, as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day in McAlester.
Hanway, featured speaker for the Mount Triumph ceremony, came to McAlester in 1991, where he served as executive director of the Southeast Oklahoma Library System of Oklahoma until his retirement in 1995.
Offices Hanway has held include president of the Oklahoma Library Association along with serving as a member of the Friends of Libraries in Oklahoma, Mountain Plains Library Association and the McAlester Rotary Club.
He is a life-long member of the Episcopal Church, ordained as a deacon in 2021.
Hanway currently serves as a volunteer prison minister at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, after first serving in a volunteer capacity at the Jim E. Hamilton Correctional Center.
He has a Master’s Degree in Library Science from the University of Iowa and previously graduated from the university of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Harris, featured speaker for the Unity Banquet, is the author of the book, “Encore… How I Survived and Thrived in the Logistics Business, The Good, Bad and Ugly,” cited as a an Amazon #1 bestseller.
He is also described as a motivational speaker, corporate trainer and mentor, with 15 years of life coaching, 35 years of spiritual counseling and four decades business sales experience in transportation logistics.
After his 2020 retirement from his position as corporate trainer at ArcBest Corporation, he was honored by Mayor George McGill, of Fort Smith, Ark., with the annual Tony L. Harris Day on Feb. 7.
Harris has also served the last 10 years as a Youth Mentor with the Golden Knights of the Fort Smith Roundtable and as a board member at Comprehensive Juvenile Services, designed to provide shelter, supervision and leadership counseling to at-risk youth.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and Speech Communication at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and recieved a Master’s Degree in Education-Administration from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Organizers reiterated the public is welcome to attend both MLK events in McAlester.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
