Over 100 people gathered inside Newton High School’s auditorium on Sunday, Jan. 14 for the 39th Annual Newton County Celebration of the Reverend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

This year’s program was the first one held in-person since January 2020’s event. 

James Wilson, a member of the Newton County MLK holiday observance planning committee, called the celebration an “emotional day.” It started prior to the event kicking off, too. 

“Before the ceremony started when people were filing in, when dancers were taking their shoes off getting ready to dance down the aisle, when we were gathering chairs to put them on the stage for our folks who’d be sitting on the platform. That was my favorite part,” Wilson said, “because that’s when it really became real that we’re doing this in-person again.  It feels like it’s been done virtually for so long, you almost forget that in-person feeling. So the excitement of people filing in and taking their seats and readying themselves for the program…all of that background excitement was phenomenal.” 

Wilson doubled down on his excitement saying the day went better than expected. 

Dr. Duke Bradley III, Newton County Schools’ superintendent, served as the 2024 keynote speaker. Deitrich Sneed introduced Bradley after which the superintendent “brought the house down.”

“He knew his audience well for someone who is new to the community,” Wilson said. “He spoke very well and received very high praise for his speech.”

Another main aspect of the celebration was honoring individuals with three awards. 

The “I Have A Dream” Award went to deacon Winston Williams with The “MLK Trailblazer” Award being given to Carl Wilkins.

Two Newton High students were granted the “Young Dreamer” Award — Victor Kirkland and Eris D. Sellars. 

Lucero Alvarado, the 2023 MLK Scholarship Recipient, shared his perception of the scholarship during the event. 

Area pastors participated in the program, too. 

Rev. Dr. Eric Lee (Spring Baptist Church, Conyers) offered the invocation and Rev. Neely Lance (First Presbyterian Church, Covington) did the pastoral prayer for equality. The pastoral prayer for unity was prayed by Rev. Ronnie Thomas Jr. (Bethlehem Baptist Church, Covington) along with Rev. Dr. Robert Crawford Sr.’s (Grace United Methodist Church) pastoral prayer for peace. 

Rev. Darryl Hooper (The Church at Covington) closed the program with the benediction. 

Local officials provided greetings to all attendees: Marcello Banes, Newton County Board of Commissioner chairman, Newton County sheriff Ezell Brown and city of Covington mayor Fleeta Baggett. Dr. Badia Ahad, dean of Oxford College of Emory University, also spoke. 

Having multiple people involved as well as in attendance just added to the occasion for Wilson. 

“A lot of people have been talking about how Newton County is growing and expanding and it’s losing this and losing that. But yesterday, every single person in the room had an opportunity to experience the real, beautiful community that we have here,” Wilson said. “Even if you didn’t know a person, when the ceremony was over, you were giving them a hug.”

Past Young Dreamer Award recipients Wilson, Jaison Taylor, Hailee Quinn and Ralph Brown did the litany of commemoration followed by an anthem of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Washington Street Children’s Choir and the MLK Interdenominational Choir provided the ministry of music for the celebration. A hymn of celebration was led by the Men of Celebration  Choir. 

The national theme for this year’s program was, “It Starts With Me: Shifting the Culture Climate Through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence.”

Next year will mark the 40th year of this celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. With that in mind — coupled with 2024’s successful turnout — has Wilson filled with great anticipation for the future of the celebration. 

“We’re really looking forward to next year and making the celebration and ceremony bigger and better to really celebrate that 40th anniversary,” Wilson said. “So many people in the community and so much of the history of our community have dedicated so much of themselves to this program. To see it go on for 40 years will be huge for a lot of people.”