By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sunday will mark the first day of a two-day celebration commemorating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. in Hutchinson. The celebration begins at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Stringer Fine Arts Center.
"I think it would be really difficult to give the full measure of what Dr. King stood for without having a very inclusive group," said Hutchinson NAACP chapter president Darrell Pope. "We all know and recognize the contributions he made in the area of social justice benefited the whole country."
Two events are set for Monday. The first begins at 2 p.m. at the Second Missionary Baptist Church at 1008 North Ford. The day wraps up with a community reception at 4:30 p.m. at the Kansas Cosmosphere.
"A lot of people expect, if someone's from, maybe a different ethnic group or something like that, that you're different or have different ideas, or your expectations are different," Pope said. "We all are looking for the same thing, the best that we can have out of life, based on our ability to receive it."
An added event Sunday will allow people to get to know each other that may not normally get together aside from the celebration.
"The First United Methodist Church, under the pastorship of Mick McGuire, is going to be sponsoring a reception," said Pope. "It's going to take place immediately after the Sunday program in the recital hall, across the hall in the gallery theater. We're looking forward to that."
Martin Luther King Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January to remember the civil rights leader. King was born January 15, 1929. He was assassinated April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.