In her welcoming speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Committee member Rachel Brown promised the audience a program that would empower, entertain and enlighten – and results were delivered in less than 10 minutes with a performance by Jason Woods.
Monday night in the International Culture Center, the MLK Commemorative Committee presented the Nondenominational Music Celebration.
As part of an Alpha Phi Alpha special tribute to the late Dr. King, Woods, one of the evening’s first performers, sang the gospel song “Most Precious Lord”.
“Since this event is a nondenominational celebration in honor of Dr. King, I felt it was only fitting and most appropriate to pay tribute to him with his favorite song,” Woods said.
Woods said gospel singer Mahalia Jackson also sang the song at King’s funeral.
Event Co-Chair Alicia Calvin said she always has had a love for music, and her desire to serve on the MLK committee compelled her to interview to be Co-chair over the Nondenominational Music Celebration committee.
“We reached out to a number of different people and groups to diversify the program,” she said.
Rozlyn Hebert, a psychology sophomore, said she came to the program to see and support her Best Buddy, and her group Everybody Dance, as they performed “The Wave”.
Best Buddies is an organization that pairs mentally challenged individuals with students.
“Their performance was a true testament to the diversity of tonight’s program,” Hebert said.
Toi Armstead, an electrical engineering junior and past participant of the event, said she came to the program to hear the different acts.
She said the re-naming of the program made the event more diverse.
In years past, the event showcased predominately gospel music and performances.
“Since the event is now nondenominational, it does not limit the acts we see or limit itself to serve a particular group of people,” she said.
In his closing remarks, MLK Commemorative Committee Chairperson Maurice Gipson also addressed the re-naming of the event and the purpose behind it.
“Music is a medium that transcends all demographics,” he said. “We changed the program into a nondenominational music celebration because music does not have a demographic or race – it just has a voice.”