January 17, 2019

NAACP 2019 MLK Breakfast to feature speakers, music and more

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Student Center will host the Carbondale NAACP 2019 Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Monday in the Student Center ballrooms.

Eclectic program planned

The theme for the 37th annual event is “Same Kind of Different as Me.” It begins with breakfast at 8 a.m. followed by the program at 9 a.m. Carolyn Cerda, WSIL TV News 3 anchor, will be the mistress of ceremonies for the morning.

Apostle Larry T. Barnett, senior pastor of the St. John Praise and Worship Center and double alumnus of SIU, will be the special guest speaker. The program also features a variety of other speakers, special music and more, including recognition of the winners of the annual King Essay Contest.

Local Boy Scouts will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and a variety of area dignitaries, officials and local citizens are involved.

Get tickets at the door

Admission to the breakfast is $5 along with a canned food donation; the food will go to the Saluki Food Pantry at the Student Center, benefiting students in times of need.

MLK Breakfast tickets are available at the door.

A tribute to its inception

The breakfast was founded in 1983 by the Black Coalition and was first held at the Eurma C. Hayes Center. The event has grown through the years with the Carbondale NAACP later taking on the leadership role. By 1989 the community celebration had moved to the SIU campus.

Following the 2019 breakfast, all participants who would like to assist with a community service project will return to the Eurma C. Hayes Center for a day of cleaning.