Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat — The McLaurin Steppers bring the crowd to their feet with one of their step routines they performed in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the “I Have a Dream” Youth Luncheon Monday in the Natchez Convention Center.

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Crowd celebrates achievements of King, president at luncheon

Published 12:01am Tuesday, January 22, 2013

NATCHEZ — The spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. filled the Natchez Convention Center as hundreds celebrated King’s legacy as President Obama made history.

“We’re here today to celebrate history as history is again made for the second time,” said Darrell White, director of the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture Museum. White spoke to the crowd at NAPAC’s annual “I Have a Dream” Youth Luncheon.

BEN HILLYER / THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT — Destiny Addae gives a inspirational using her fingers to show how many times President Obama has been elected.

Youth of the Miss-Lou celebrated King’s birthday by presenting songs, dances and speeches to the crowd, which watched President Obama’s inauguration events on a large screen in the back of the room.

Destiny Addae, a youth member of Antioch Baptist Church, brought the crowd to their feet as she shouted praises that people of all colors could live King’s dream.

“Praise God the door of opportunity is open to all of God’s children,” she said.

Addae asked the crowd to stand on their feet and celebrate the second inauguration of President Obama.

“Stand up on your feet for not once but twice, not once but twice for the president of these United States,” Addae said. “Free at last, I can taste the sweet victory of the mountaintop.”

The luncheon’s speaker, Khambre Chanel Davis, a 20-year-old student at Central Louisiana Technical and Community College, said knowledge is the key to excelling in life and all improvements start with self-improvement.

Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat — Bertha Jackson, Peggy Scales and Margaret Johnson from the Natchez Senior Center Choir sing “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” during the “I Have a Dream” Youth Luncheon Monday.

“The most important asset you have is right under your nose…it’s simply you,” Davis said. “Don’t let negative self talk keep you from your desire to achieve.”

Your thoughts are energy, Davis said, that will drive you to succeed.

“Dr. King’s thoughts gave him the energy to do the things he did,” she said.

Davis concluded her speech with a favorite quote from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

“‘This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring,’” Davis said.

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  • http://www.endtime.com Keith

    King vs Oboma. Liberty vs Tyranny. Good vs evil!!! You decide. I will not even begin to compare these two men together. I choose the “I Have a Dream” any day of the week!!!

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    ND, where is my hero Robert E. Lee birthday not acknowledged as my family celebrated yesterday on the front page headline for I know the blacks have to have Martin L. King as their hero for I mention in comments last year and feel discriminated !! I’m not a racist and I voted for Obama and a democrat-Now whats going on Here??!!

  • Anonymous

    1/21/2013 ANOTHER GREAT DAY THAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY. WHAT A GREAT INAUGURATION. YOU COULD FEEL THE POWER IN THE PEOPLE. 1/22/2013 IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ” NEW AMERICA “. THE HAND FULL OF JIM CROWS THAT’S LEFT, MIGHT AS WELL PACK-UP AND SHIP OUT. I NEVER SEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT RACES JOIN TOGETHER IN MY LIFE TIME. I DIDN’T GET ANY SLEEP LAST NIGHT THINKING ABOUT THAT INAUGURATION. MY HEART FELT LIKE IT HAD BEEN UNCHAINED. AMERICA IS BECOMING THE AMERICA I ALMOST GAVE MY LIFE TO PROTECT. RETURNING FROM PROTECTING YOUR COUNTRY AND BUMPING INTO JIM CROW, IS NO DIFFERENT THAN GOING TO WAR AGAIN. THE DREAM IS SPEAKING LOUDER THAN EVER. THOSE HAND FULL OF WHITE FOLKS THATS TRYING TO HOLD ON TO O’ JIM CROW WILL HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE AS THE CLOCK TICK FOWARD. THAT CHOICE IS LEFT UP TO YOU’LL. IF YOU’LL DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT CHOICE IS, CONTACT SOME PEOPLES LIKE khakirat AND SOME OF HIS BUBBIES FOR HELP. YOU CAN BEST BELIEVE IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THERE ARE GREAT THINGS IN THE MAKING FOR THE U.S.A. I’M GONNA GET ON UP OUT OF HERE. I FEEL SO GOOD I’M GOING TO THROW A COUPLE SLABS OF BABY BACKS ON THE GRILL. YOU HEAR ME khakirat ?

  • Anonymous

    dave07, or rather, the “person pretending to be dave07″, just…go away. You are tiresome. Your games are boring. So go play hop-scotch in a mine field and don’t come back…. (yawn)

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    Your to far gone and not hitting on nothing and don’t get so full of yourself!! People as myself an our kin and fore fathers fought for the South during the civil war and we will keep our peoples memories alive just as your people will keep M.L. King memories !! By the way our family had steak and boiled shrimp with the trimming after celebrating General Robert E. Lees birthday!! You hear me D7D7 huh’??!!

  • Anonymous

    You might have more credibility if your posts were written in English with correct spelling and grammar. Your posts make you look as if you are uneducated. Are all your people like this?

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    Go take a hike!! You need to make a comment to your buddy d7d7 professor!! Also, the look of it in public schools tell the story of your judgement of education huh’??!!

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