Freedom sing-in at 5 PM. Program begins 6 PM.
Program features keynote speaker, MLK Community Choir and presentation of the MLK Humanitatian Award by County Executive Joe Parisi and Mayor Paul Soglin.
There is no cost to attend, and tickets are not required.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Frank A. Humphrey President, NAACP Wisconsin State Conference Former Member, NAACP National Board & Executive Committee
Frank Humphrey has given a full life of service that spans over 40 years with the NAACP and other community service and civil rights organizations. He currently serves as President of the NAACP Wisconsin State Conference. He served on the NAACP National Board for more than a decade and as a member of the NAACP Executive Committee under the leadership of the legendary civil rights icon, Julian Bond. He has served as NAACP National Board Asst. Treasurer and on numerous national NAACP Committees including Audit, Advocacy & Policy, Budget & Finance, and Legal Resolutions and Membership Committees. He served as Vice Chair of the Convention Planning Committee and was instrumental in bringing the NAACP National Convention to Milwaukee in 2005. His service has also included being designated the National Board Appointed Administrator for NAACP branches in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Las Vegas, Nevada and Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2016, he was elected as a corporate board member of the $2.6 billion U.W. Credit Union Board of Directors.
In addition to Mr. Humphrey’s keynote speech, the event will feature presentation of the Madison-Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and City of Madison Mayor Paul Soglin; performance by the MLK Community Choir led by Leotha and Tamera Stanley; Freedom Sing-in in the Overture Rotunda; a spoken work performance by Cedric Dale Hoard; and more. Karen Menéndez Coller will serve as the MC.
This event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Madison and is the capstone of a series of events hosted by the King Coalition to commemorate the King Holiday.
The King Coalition was established in the fall of 1985 as a community group to plan the official City of Madison and Dane County observances of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. The Coalition brings people from all walks of life together in the spirit of true brotherhood and sisterhood to commemorate the life and accomplishments of this renowned leader of the civil rights movement. King Coalition events encourage the people of Dane County to reaffirm their commitment to building a just community out of our racial, religious and economic diversity.