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Events, Service Projects to Honor King Legacy at App State; Bakari Sellers to Speak at 37th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration

Bakari Sellers, who made history in 2006 when he became the youngest African American elected official in the nation, will give a keynote speech at App State’s 37th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration. Photo submitted

Special events and service projects are planned at Appalachian State University on Jan. 17 and 18 to commemorate the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The events include:

MLK Day of Service

Update: The organizers of the MLK Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 17 have decided to go ahead and postpone due to the weather forecast. They are hoping to reschedule for sometime in February.

For over two decades, the MLK Day of Service has invited hundreds of students to participate in an opportunity for service, reflection and education. In this one-day event planned by the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership (CEL) for Monday, Jan. 17, participants are urged to consider their impact and greater role in the world around them.

Service projects are planned with community organizations F.A.R.M. Cafe, Hunger and Health Coalition, and Habitat for Humanity. The projects are weather dependent.

37th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration

Bakari Sellers, who made history in 2006 when he became the youngest African American elected official in the nation, will give a keynote speech at App State’s 37th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, and the speech will be followed by a Q&A.

At just 22 years old, Sellers defeated a 26-year incumbent to become the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the country. In 2014 he was the Democratic nominee for South Carolina lieutenant governor.
Sellers was inspired by his father, civil rights leader Cleveland Sellers, and has followed in his footsteps in his commitment to service, championing policies to address issues ranging from education and poverty to preventing domestic violence and childhood obesity.

Sellers served on President Barack Obama’s South Carolina steering committee during the 2008 election and was named to Time magazine’s 40 Under 40 in 2010.

He is the author of “My Vanishing Country: A Memoir.” Sellers practices law with the Strom Law Firm LLC in Columbia, South Carolina, and is a political commentator at CNN.