Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration / Revisiting Beacon's Inspiration In 2024

SCHEDULE
8:45am: Opening remarks at Springfield Baptist Church.
9:30am: 10th Annual Parade. Mattie Cooper to N. Cedar Street to Main Street, finishing back on Mattie Cooper at the church.
11:30am: Celebration Service Inside Springfield Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor.
LOCATION
8 Mattie Cooper (Church Street)

This year, the Beacon Free Press’ front page news story about the Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Springfield Baptist Church shed revived light on the original inspiration for the MLK Day in Beacon.

Say the organizers about the event: "Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and dream during our 10th annual MLK Parade in Beacon. The parade in Beacon was the dream of the late Pete Seeger, activist and local resident of Beacon, who wanted a parade to honor Dr. King, so he founded this wonderful ‘Singing Parade.’ Participants are encouraged to bring signs, flags and musical instruments. For more information, go to the beaconsloop.org." Pete Seeger was a co-founder of the Beacon Sloop Club.

Said the parade representative Bonnie Champion to the Beacon Free Press: “After Pete’s wife Toshi died in July 2013, he came to the Beacon Sloop Club and shared that he was worried that Martin Luther King Day was becoming a day off from school and work, and persons were forgetting this man who changed the world.” The parade began one year later, championed by Bonnie. Pete Seeger never marched in the first parade, but he knew about, it,” Bonnie told the Beacon Free Press. He passed away shortly after on January 27, 2014.

The Southern Dutchess Coalition has held a celebration for the last 46 years, and for the last 10 years, did so with the Beacon Sloop Club. The opening ceremony starts at 8:45am. The parade will step off at 9:30am in front of the Springfield Baptist Church, followed by a Celebration Service at 11:30am with Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor.

The parade route will start at the Springfield Baptist Church on Mattie Cooper Street (aka Church Street) and continue on to N. Cedar Street, where it will turn down Main Street, until it hits Willow Street, then turns on Mattie Cooper Street to end at the Springfield Baptist Church.

The student essay contest is happening again this year, where Beacon students grades 1-12 were asked to write about the following quote: “Only love can overcome hatred, bitterness, and fear. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

The winning students will receive a $50 award sponsored by Rhinebeck Bank. All others will receive a certificate.

For more information, go to beaconsloop.org.

MLK Jr. Student Essay Winners Announced From Southern Dutchess Coalition and the Beacon Sloop Club For 2022

Excerpts of the winning MLK Jr. essays were published in the Highlands Current.

Six essays submitted by students celebrating the life and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were announced for 2022. The essay contest was part of the annual programming from the Southern Dutchess Coalition and the Beacon Sloop Club, which includes a march in Beacon followed by a program, during which the essays are recognized. A prize of $50 is awarded to each winner by the essay sponsor, Rhinebeck Bank. The winning essays are selected by a committee of the Sloop Club members.

The march did not happen this year due to the pandemic, but the essays were recognized in published excerpts by the Highlands Current. The students needed to answer: “Are we keeping the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jur.’s dream alive?”

The students whose essays were selected were:

Nicholas Ferris Jr., Grade 2, JV Forrestal Elementary
Landon Soltish, Grade 5, Glenham Elementary
Andrew Caporale, Grade 5, Glenham Elementary
Manasvi Gupta, Grade 5, Glenham Elementary
Zaire West, Grade 5, Glenham Elementary
Weston Hetrick, Grade 5, Glenham Elementary

Read excerpts of their essays here.

MLK Movie Marathon Recommendations - Plus Podcasts & Instagrams To Follow

It’s going to be cold out there, Beaconites. It might even be snowing! A few years ago, pre-pandemic, it was sleeting. The luck of Winter weather and disease has not been with the South Dutchess Coalition for their annual MLK Birthday Celebration and Parade, now in its 44th year. The parade and celebration that is usually inside of the Springfield Baptist Church is canceled this year, but your Dr. Martin Luther King education and inspiration continues!

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Brandon Lillard, a founding member of I Am Beacon and my (Katie’s) co-host at ALBB’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” While Brandon is eagerly awaiting the birth of their 2nd child, he sent over his movie recommendations for your movie marathon long weekend.

Do read this article at the History Channel that covers the oppression of African American people’s right to vote, and the battle to throw that burden and gaslighting off via the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Voting Rights Act of 1965. According to the article: “After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from denying a male citizen the right to vote based on “race, color or previous condition of servitude.” Nevertheless, in the ensuing decades, various discriminatory practices were used to prevent African Americans, particularly those in the South, from exercising their right to vote.”

This suppression included presenting a Black voter with a literacy test, or requirement to recite parts of legislation.

Here are Brandon’s recommendations:

Selma (2014)

From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “Ava Duvernay’s Selma was a huge success and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture, amongst many others. The historical drama centers on King Jr. as a key figure, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the fight for suffrage, the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But most prominently, Selma chronicles the history-altering march that was led by King.”

Photo Credit: HBO

King In The Wilderness (2018)

From HBO: “King in the Wilderness chronicles the final chapters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. While the Black Power movement saw his nonviolence as weakness, and President Lyndon B. Johnson saw his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible, Dr. King’s unyielding belief in peaceful protest became a testing point for a nation on the brink of chaos.

“Dr. King’s leadership during the bus boycotts, the sit-ins and the historic Selma to Montgomery marches is now legendary, but much of what happened afterward – during the last three years of his life – is rarely discussed. It’s a time when Dr. King said his dream “turned into a nightmare.” From the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968, King remained unshakably committed to nonviolence in the face of an increasingly unstable country.

“The documentary debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Peter Kunhardt (HBO’s Emmy-winning Jim: The James Foley Story). Drawing on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King in the Wilderness reveals stirring new perspectives on Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his assassination in 1968. The documentary also features archival footage, behind-the-scenes video of Dr. King’s private moments, intimate archival photographs and phone conversations recorded by President Johnson, who was both ally and adversary in King’s fight for civil rights.”

The Boy King (1986)

From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “Directed by Billy J. Parrot, The Boy King highlights a part of King’s life that is rarely showcased: his childhood. This drama shares some of the early forms of discrimination that King encountered and how it shaped him for his future. It shows how the loving and nurturing home environment that he was cultivated in shaped his ideologies.”

Not sure how to watch this one at moment. Will inquire with library.

Katie is curious about:

Photo Credit: Lifetime

Betty and Coretta (2013)

From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “While we often see the men of the Civil Rights era highlighted, under the direction of Yves Simoneau, Betty and Coretta provides a depiction of the friendship between Coretta Scott King and Dr. Betty Shabazz (married to Malcom X) that developed after their husbands were assassinated. Starring Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige as Scott King and Shabazz, respectively, this television movie showcases the inner strength and dignity of the women who were right there alongside their husbands in their fight for equality and civil rights in the Civil rights era. This movie is a tribute to these two beautiful and intelligent women, and how they continued to raise their families and fight for activism after their husband’s deaths.”

Watch it with the Lifetime Movie Club.

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Podcasts

MINORITY KORNER
So good! A must-listen to stay up to date on many cultural corners from different perspectives. Description of the show, by the show: “Are you easily confused by terms like cultural appropriation, cisgender, toxic masculinity, twunk, queer, black girl magic, and woke? Or maybe you’re tired of explaining terms like these and you need a community that gets you! Welcome to Minority Korner, where we take an introspective look at the world. through an intersectional lens. Join James: a queer, political, comedian, self proclaimed, sexy blerd (that’s Black Nerd) and each week he’s joined in the Korner by another fabulous minority tackling pop culture, the news, media, and history all with a little self care, and self love sprinkled throughout! It’s time to Learn, Laugh, and Play, right here at Minority Korner- because together: we’re the majority!”
Listen Now >

Photo Credit: Black Girl Nerds

BLACK GIRL NERDS
From movies to comics to authors to finance, Black Girl Nerds is a refreshing and energetic listen that you need in your week. From the show: “Black Girl Nerds is an online publication and multimedia space that is the intersection of geek culture and Black feminism.  I named this site Black Girl Nerds because the concept of Black women as geeky-dorky beings is somewhat of an anomaly.  It’s against the order of things in the “Black Girl” world.  We represent a wide array of diverse women who embrace all cultures and refuse to conform to the status quo.

“This community does not have an exclusionary purpose.  The term “Black Girl Nerd” is not intended to be derogatory nor is it racially biased.  It is a term of endearment to all women like me who have been attached to a stigma that is not an accurate representation of my personality or my idiosyncratic behaviors. This is a website for every nerdy girl that can finally come out of the closet and tell the world that they are PROUD to be who they are—no matter what anyone says, does, or think.”

Listen Now >

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Local Instagram Accounts To Follow And Read

Plenty of enriching Instagram accounts are at your fingertips to tap and read. Start with a few of these:

@YellowSwagger: Justice McCray, founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, Desmond-Fish Library employee, past Beacon Library Employee, and current Beacon City Council Member. “Fight for justice, even when it doesn’t serve you. Believe in love that is out of anyone’s control. And then risk everything for it.”

@AliTawfiqMuhammad: Ali Tawfiq Muhammad, past Beacon City Council Member, current resident of Newburgh. Organizer of several initiatives involving politics and youth. Co-Organizer of the march to Free Palestine in Newburgh. “Advocating for community development (CHANGE) through civic engagement since 2003 - I am a champion for human rights, serving differently on purpose.

@BLMHudsonValley: Posting news and quotes to motivate, change and grow minds.

@Beacon4BlackLives: A major change-making group that started in Beacon during the Black lives movement that started in 2020. Organizers of several marches down Main Street and open-mic story sharing sessions, which resulted in several stories being shared by Black neighbors who emerged as leaders, and even a white Beacon police officer. “B4BL is a grassroots organization dedicated to fighting violence & systemic racism against Black people in our community.”

@ToMyOldRacistEarth: Moraya Seeger DeGeare, a certified couples therapist utilizing Emotionally Focused Therapy. Moraya is a grandaughter of Pete and Toshi Seeger. Pete partnered with the Southern Dutchess Coalition to begin the MLK Parade in Beacon. “It’s time we TALK about systemic issues with our kids & create ART as we do.”

Southern Dutchess Coaltion's MLK Birthday Celebration Canceled - Desmond-Fish Library Hosts Online Options

The Southern Dutchess Coalition has announced their cancellation of their 44th Annual MLK Birthday Celebration in Beacon, as well as the Dr. King Parade, scheduled for January 17th. The Southern Dutchess Coalition said in a statement that new dates for both events will be announced.

The winners of the Annual Student MLK Essay Contest have been chosen, and will be announced soon, the Southern Dutchess Coalition said in their event statement. They encourage everyone to stay safe and to broaden knowledge about Dr. King through social media, movies and books.

Online MLK Events To Attend From Desmond-Fish Library

In neighboring Garrison and Cold Spring, there are online options to attend produced in partnership with the Desmond-Fish Library:

Mediation in Our Divided Society
GARRISON
DAY: Sunday January 16, 2022
TIME: 4 p.m. Via Crowdcast
LINK: bit.ly/mlkjan16
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Tajaé Gaynor, author of On Mediation: Creating Bonds of Tranquility in a World That Often Thrives on Calamity, will discuss mediation as a path to peaceful resolutions and civil rights. The event is being hosted by the Desmond-Fish Public Library, and trustee Erik Brown will lead the discussion. Register online.

Documentary Discussion
COLD SPRING
DAY: Monday, January 17, 2022
TIME: 7 p.m. Via Zoom
LINK: butterfieldlibrary.org/calendar
This discussion will center on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective, which can be streamed free at kanopy.com by entering your Butterfield or Desmond-Fish library card number. Register onlin

Family Concert
GARRISON
DAY: Monday, January 17, 2022
TIME: 7 p.m. Via Crowdcast
LINK: bit.ly/mlkconcertJan17
Goldee Greene and Tom McCoy will perform songs of harmony, strife and spirit by Stevie Wonder, Bessie Smith, Eubie Blake, George Frederick Handel and others in this celebration of Dr. Kinghosted by the Desmond-Fish Public Library. Register online.

MLK Day In Beacon: The Webinar Version From Springfield Baptist Church & Beacon Sloop Club: "Keep The Flame Alive"

The light is not out for the annual MLK Day Parade in Beacon presented by the Springfield Baptist Church and the Beacon Sloop Club (via Pete Seeger before his passing)!

In lieu of the parade, you can participate from home for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Zoom Celebration on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 11am - 1pm. The theme is "Keep The Flame Alive" and all are welcome.

From the presenters: "Join us for a fun-filled morning of Civil Rights, Gospel & Inspirational Music, Quotes from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a message from Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor of Springfield Baptist Church. All attendees are welcome!"

MLK Day Of Service
Springfield Baptist Church & Beacon Sloop Club Present: "Keep The Flame Alive"
Dates: Monday, January 18, 2021
Time: 11am-1pm
How To Log On: The Webinar ID, Passcode and Phone Number are in the flyer above.

Schedule For The 42nd Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration (MLK) and 7th Annual Parade Set in Beacon

WHAT: Services + Parade March
WHEN: Monday, January 20, 2020
WHERE: Springfield Baptist Church, 8 Church Street (aka Mattie Cooper Square)

On Monday, January 20, 2020, for the 42nd year, a daylong celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. is planned at the Springfield Baptist Church from the Southern Dutchess Coalition (SDC). For the seventh year, the Pete Seeger Community “Dr. King Parade” will commence with a march around the block in the morning, with people returning back to the church for the performance pieces and service. Last year, the event was postponed due to an unexpected ice storm. This year, the snow(/ice) date is Monday, February 17, 2020.

Themes & Performances For The MLK Birthday Celebration

According to the organizers: “The 2020 SDC Birthday Celebration promises to be another glorious example of Beacon’s Unity, Community and Diversity!”

This year’s main theme is: “If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?” Continuing the celebration of future leaders, the Southern Dutchess Coalition will present the seventh annual essay contest, which will take place after the parade. The theme of the annual essay contest is: “Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Everywhere.”

Schedule For The Day

Here’s how the day is going to go on Monday, January 20, 2020 (snow date is February 17, 2020):

8 am: Dr. King Continental Breakfast (rolls, assorted buns, bagels, coffee, tea)
9:30 am: Opening Session
9:45 to 10:30 am: 7th Annual Pete Seeger/SDC Community Dr. King Parade. Participants are encouraged to bring peace signs.
11 am to 12:50 pm: Annual Celebration Dinner (turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, toss salad and dessert, courtesy of sponsors and contributors)
Annual Youth/Adult Talent
MLK Essay Contest Winners/Presentations - Theme: “Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Everywhere.”
1 pm: Annual Celebration Service, from the Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry Sr., Pastor.
Persons Of The Year Awards presented to Judge Peter Forman, Beulah Jackson, Patricia White and Goldee Greene.

Organizers for this event include Jennifer Baker-McClinton, Executive Chairperson of SDC; Sharlene Stout, Vice Chairperson & Music Coordinator of SDC; and Bonnie Champion, Parade & Essay Contest Coordinator.

Sponsorship Opportunity For Future Years

“There has never been or will be a charge for any food served to our participants and guests,” exclaim the organizers. If you ever wondered how all of this gets pulled off each year, with two meals being served for free and other organizing event details paid for, it is with contributions from patrons and sponsors. Contributors are listed in the program.

To contribute to or sponsor the following year, please contact the Chairperson via email prazingaljenny@gmail.com or (845) 454-2059. Your name will be listed in the annual program as one of the organizations or individual sponsors.

2019 Martin Luther King Day Parade and Events Rescheduled Due To Snowstorm

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Due to the snowstorm, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration with the Southern Dutchess Coalition at the Springfield Baptist Church has been rescheduled to Saturday, February 16. February is also Black History Month, the Southern Dutchess Coalition has noted.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Springfield Baptist Church
Day: RESCHEDULED DUE TO SNOW:
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Location: Springfield Baptist Church, 8 Mattie Cooper Square, Beacon, NY
Times:
8 am: Community Breakfast
9:30 am: Ceremony and Annual Singing Parade and Civil Rights March.
Read the Poughkeepsie Journal article about last year's parade, with several quotes from participants.