The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Rockville Centre hosted its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony, welcoming community members to honor King’s legacy and reflect on the values of service, unity and the ongoing fight for equality.
Dozens of Rockville Centre residents gathered on Monday to remember King, who visited the village March 28, 1968 — just days before his assassination. The day’s events paid tribute to his vision through poetry, performances and youth voices.
The program opened with a welcoming skit that emphasized the importance of preserving King’s memory, particularly within African American and Black communities in and beyond the village. Children from the center’s after-school program shared their dreams, each standing before the audience to speak about their hopes for the future.
Members of the Village Board were in attendance, including Mayor Francis X. Murray, who offered remarks. Other community leaders who spoke included Nassau County Legislator Scott Davis, Assemblywoman Judy Griffin and State Sen. Siela Bynoe.
Davis quoted one of King’s most enduring messages.
“‘Injustice anywhere. Is a threat to justice everywhere,’” he said. “The most important part of that is to have compassion, concern for people who are not in your current circumstance. And more important than that is to exercise your voice to speak out and for all of us.”
Words of encouragement were offered by Pastor Bashad Clemons, which was followed by spoken-word performances from Elaine Petry and Jaylen Benjamin.
The event also featured performances by the Union Baptist Church Praise Team choir, Dunamis Performing Arts Center, and two dances by the Youth & Teens Dance Company. The ceremony concluded with final remarks from Benjamin, followed by a community meal offered to all attendees.
For more information about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, visit RVCNY.gov/MLK-Community-Center.
