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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Lorrie Richardson-O’Neal is shown introducing her husband, Dr. Kenneth O’Neal
at the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Birthday Celebration.
Seated (left) is her husband along with the Rev. R.E. Cooper who was the presiding
officer for the event.
SPIRITUAL DANCERS
The Spiritual Dancers of St. Paul First Baptist Church, in Jefferson, were present
on Sunday to help celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor what
would have been his 81st birthday.
Locals celebrate MLK Day
By Katie Huston
MARTIN LUTHER King
Jr. would have been 81 years
old this year and Sunday after
noon, over 100 people came out
to celebrate his legacy at the
26th annual Commemoration
Birthday Celebration.
The event took place at the
Jackson Electric Membership
Corporation in Jefferson.
Throughout the afternoon and
into the evening, attendees were
treated to song and dance as well
as inspirational speakers.
The presiding officer for the
day was the Rev. R.E. Cooper
and he encouraged everyone to
remember the importance of
“sticking together.”
“It’s important to remember
that everyone had to stand on
someone else’s shoulders,” he
said, referring to King. “No one
got here alone.”
Hilda Wilhite gave a speech
in memory of the fallen Civil
Rights heroes as well as the ones
living and carrying on a legacy
today, thanking them.
“We may not be where we
ought to be,” she said. “But
thank God we’re not where we
used to be.”
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
The program was in honor
of Dr. Kenneth O’Neal and
Dr. Lorrie Richardson-O’Neal.
The couple is the first African-
American husband and wife to
practice medicine in Jackson
County.
“As we remember Dr. King,
we should focus on how he
allowed his passion and a sense
of purpose to propel him to des
tiny,” Richardson-O’Neal said.
O’Neal was the keynote
speaker and his wife introduced
him. In doing so, she asked the
audience to keep a few things
in mind.
“You all should recognize that
(O’Neal) is a person of passion
and purpose and God used that
passion and purpose to drive him
to destiny,” she said.
O’Neal was bom in Chicago,
Ill., at the hospital where his
mother worked.
At 15, he began working as a
certified nursing assistant where
he took care of senior citizens. He
graduated from the University of
Illinois, Champagne, Ill., in 1988.
Then went on to the University
of Illinois’ College of Medicine.
He worked his way through col
lege working at a psychiatric
hospital and went back home to
Cook County where he was bom
for an internship because that’s
where he was most inspired.
As a new physician, he was
making more money than his
attending physicians in Cook
County had ever made. This
served as the beginning of his
awakening to what he views as
inequities in the medical profes
sion.
He talks about this in his
new book, “The Dark Walls of
Medicine.”
O’Neal began his speech with
a prayer and contemplated how
King was willing to lay down
his life for his dream of one
day bringing social injustice to
an end.
“A person has no control over
the visions that God gives to
them,” he said. “Only the way
they respond to it.”
To O’Neal, dreams are some-
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Kenneth O’Neal was the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. event
on Sunday. O’Neal, along with his wife, Dr. Lorrie Richardson-O’Neal, are the first
African-American couple in Jackson County to practice medicine.
Photos by Katie Huston
A
HAVE YOU HEARD?
During a performance of “Have You Heard?” by the
MLK Choir, Vern Rucker-Varnum sang a solo.
thing that he thinks God implants
into the minds of each person.
“No man can fabricate the
dream,” he said. “The Lord gives
the dream.”
He encouraged the audience
to reflect on what dreams they’ve
been given.
“When God gives you a
dream, walk by faith and not by
sight,” he said. “Don’t be afraid
to step out on faith.”
He went on to say, that King’s
dream is still alive today.
“As (King) dreamed of civil
rights and social equality for
African-Americans and all God’s
people, he dealt with seemingly
impossible odds and opposition
to changing the status quo of his
day,” O’Neal said.
He also talked about the tenac
ity and faith King had to press
toward the mark of a higher
calling.
Similar to how King dealt
with social injustices of the
Civil Rights movement, O’Neal
believes it’s his calling to deal
with the social injustices con
cerning healthcare in America
- mainly the over 47 million
Americans without healthcare.
“We have a broken healthcare
system desperately in need of
repair,” he said. “As our friend
Dr. King said, ‘If we are to live
out the true meaning of free
dom,’ then we must solve this
nation’s current healthcare crisis
and provide quality, affordable
and universal access for all peo
ple of this great nation.”
CELEBRATION
Throughout the celebra
tion, The Summer Hill Baptist
Church’s male chorus per
formed as well as numerous
selections from the MLK Choir.
Also performing throughout
the event were The M.A.W.s
(the Rev. Mark A. Weaver and
Sons).
RECOGNITION
Those recognized and receiv
ing awards at the event were:
Kathleen Yapp, Gainesville;
Tabo’s Food Store, Jefferson;
Mr. and Mrs. Julius Mason,
Jefferson; Dr. Kenneth O’Neal,
Dacula; Dr. Lorrie Richardson-
O’Neal, Dacula; Kelvin and
Terisa Tate, Commerce; Odell
Collins, Athens; Kendell Sims,
Commerce; Marvin Johnson,
Jefferson; Marcus Blade,
Jefferson; Cynthia Sims, Athens;
Florine Griffeth, Jefferson;
Elizabeth Martin, Jefferson;
Loretta Lay, Jefferson; Cierra
Watson, Jefferson; Tylia
Hunter, Jefferson; Anita Brown-
Jackson, Jefferson; and the Rev.
Kevin Wood, Commerce.
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