Blood and Ashes Page 2
An MLK favorite Page 7
Adopt A Pet Page 8
Free complimentary copy January 24, 2014 • Volume 1, No. 17
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Raytown’s MLK Celebration Praiseworthy By Diane Krizek Editor The 17th Annual MLK Celebration honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. took place on Sunday, January 19, 2014, at Graceway on Blue Ridge Cutoff. The celebration featured high-powered talent, eloquent speakers, beautiful chorals and the winners of the MLK Today essay contest to commemorate Dr. Kings dream of unity, justice and equality for all people, regardless of race or creed. Barker Memorial Cathedral of Praise, Graceway, Raytown Chamber of Commerce, Raytown Community Interfaith Alliance and the Raytown Human Relations Commission sponsored the event.
Maurice Hays of KC Vocals
International performer, Maurice Hays of KC Vocals, opened the event with his beautiful voice and uplifting songs. Hays has sung with greats like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra and his many credits include being the featured singer at the Sapporo Ice Festival of Japan and the opening of Tokyo Disneyworld. John Anderson of the Internet radiocast, Legacy Alive Testify, inspired the audience with a message of unity with
Maxine-Queen MotherMcFarlane singing Pass It On with Mayor David Bower and Carey Casey, right and left
love while quotations from the student essays appeared on the overhead screens. Students of the Raytown school district were invited to propose a project that would further Dr. King’s vision in our own community today. Graceway offered to donate $3,000 and 1,000 volunteer hours to implement the winning project. The grand prizewinner of the essay contest went to Princess Simmons, a seventh grader at Raytown Central Middle, who wrote of her vision of the “Beloved Community…a community vision of communities worldwide without poverty, hunger or homelessness because of a shared standard.” Rev. Ron Haley, Connections pastor at Graceway,
Community Choir representing six area churches
wonder that he was honored as a “Champion of Change” in the field of fatherhood in June 2012 by the White House Office of Public Engagement and Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In getting his message across, Casey moved his audience from tears to laughter and some of his anecdotes were priceless: “When I was born, I was black. When I grew up, I was black. When I get sick, I’m black. When I get in the sun, I am black, and when I die, I’ll still be black”, stated Casey. “But Mayor Bower was pink when he was born. When he grew up, he was white. When
respectfully delivered a universal prayer on behalf of all who were present and the Community Choir, comprised of members from six churches, sang the beautiful traditional Zambian folk song, “Bonse Aba”, accompanied by Brian Johnson on djembe. They also sang “Life Every Voice and Sing” a song of faith and hope. Mayor David Bower delivered his proclamation observing January 20, 2014, as Martin Luther King, Jr. day to honor King’s life and lasting legacy which included this excerpt “WHEREAS, understanding that all forms of Brian Johnson on djembe drum racial prejudice are in clear and direct contradiction with the basic tenants of morality he gets sick, he turns green. and the principles of Ameri- When he gets in the sun, he ca contained in the Declara- turns red, and when he dies, he’ll turn purple. So, how can tion of Independence”. Keynote speaker, Carey you call me colored?” Dr. Jacqueline Wood, Casey, CEO of the National Center for Fathering, and Ph.D., Associate Professor of former chaplain to the Kan- the Black Studies Program at sas City Chiefs and Dallas UMKC, spoke of Dr. King’s Cowboys, inspired the audi- courageousness and intimience to keep talking about dating intellect although “he “the dream”. He also talked wanted to be seen as a comabout the need for fathers mon man. He did not expect and grandfathers and it’s no the awards and recognition that he got, he just did what
Carey Casey, CEO National Center for Fathering
was right.” She cited words from King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” where he maintained his stance on nonviolent campaigns despite the “ugly record of brutality” in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was jailed. Maxine “Queen Mother” McFarlane, ended the celebration with her rendition of “Pass It On”. David Pulliam, photographer for the Kansas Star, was present at the Raytown celebration and took a number of shots of McFarlane. He promised this writer that McFarlene’s picture would be on the front page of the Kansas City Star Monday – and it was on January 20, 2014. In 1995, McFarlane first reached out to then Rev. Tom Blaney of Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church to hold a celebration in Raytown promoting interracial reconciliation. Since then other organizations and churches have joined in supporting the celebration. Some may recall that Raytown first celebrated Dr. King’s legacy as a community in 1988. A group of citizens formed Citizens United for Raytown Enrichment Continued on page 2
Quotes From The MLK Today Contest Winners
Princess Simmons, winner of the 2014 MLK Essay contest
Grand Prize Winner “I want to continue the legacy by showing I loved someone, I served someone, I worked to show a non-tolerant attitude towards homelessness, poverty, and hunger…” Continued on page 2