Wisconsin Public Radio will live broadcast Wisconsin’s 45th annual Tribute and Ceremony to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from the Capitol Rotunda on Friday, Jan. 20, at noon. The program is annually produced, directed, and hosted by Dr. Jonathan Øverby, executive producer and host of WPR’s Saturday evening world music program “The Road to Higher Ground with Jonathan Øverby.”
“We will celebrate Dr. King’s birthday and reflect on the ongoing work in communities large and small to pursue Dr. King’s dream,” Øverby said in a statement.“Dr. King’s legacy of service, his vision of equal rights for Black Americans, and his deep belief that we will get to the promised land of equality continues to inspire people here at home and around the world.”
The annual Tribute and Ceremony is Wisconsin’s official state ceremony and is the oldest official MLK state celebration in the U.S. The theme of this year’s program is “Justice Lives Here.” Marcelia N. Nicholson, chair of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, will give the keynote address. There will be music and dance performances from the Gospel Music According to Chicago Mass Choir, violinist Dr. Brianna Ware-Boggs, and the MLK Multi-Cultural Dance Collective. The event will also include presentations of MLK Heritage Awards.
“We are proud to help Wisconsin honor and learn from the work of Dr. King,” WPR Director Sarah Ashworth said. “This Annual Tribute and Ceremony is a chance for Wisconsinites to remember and reconnect with his legacy.”
For more details about the event, click here.
