Having to be presented virtually did not lessen the spirit of a recent local event honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. which helped kick off Black History Month activities.
This marks the 17th year of a program designed to honor members of the community who today embody the essence of the “dream” that Dr. King spoke about, lived for and died for, organizers say.
The Mount Airy-Surry County Branch of the National Association of University Women Inc. (NAUW) and Mount Airy Museum of Regional History joined forces to celebrate the birthday of the civil rights leader, who would have turned 93 on Jan. 15.
This involved a party and virtual program, with Marie Nicholson of the local NAUW mentioning that the event also had been conducted virtually in 2021 because of COVID-19.
This was after years of folks filling a third-floor meeting room at the museum to listen to quotes and passages from King’s speeches, music by local entertainers and poetry, along with sharing refreshments and engaging in fellowship.
“In 2022, celebrating ‘dreamers’ has not been deferred,” Nicholson related. “The program endured another year virtually.”
It included NAUW members sharing information about “local hidden figures” (in reference to a popular movie about a team of African-American women who played important behind-the-scenes roles in launching astronaut John Glenn into space), quotes from Dr. King, cake and punch.
Special recognitions
A highlight of the program was the presentation of a Dreamer of the Year Award to Mary Maxalene Webster Brown, a designer, entrepreneur, farmer and visionary.
Brown’s daughter, Betty France, introduced her and informed everyone that “at the age of 82, she is still running her ice cream truck, Granny’s Ice Cream.”
France and Shepaille Dobson, black history program chairperson, presented Brown with a certificate and the 2022 Dreamer Award.
When first envisioned in 2004, the main idea behind the “Surry Countians Living the Dream” program was to recognize individuals who had come through hardships and were productive citizens locally in the spirit of King and his dream.
Members of the local NAUW spoke about people from Mount Airy and Surry County who have made great strides in the community in that regard:
• Debra Jessup spoke on dancer and director Cynthia Penn-Halal;
• Roxanne Beamer highlighted educators John Jessup and John Jarvis Jones;
• Adreann Belle spoke about U.S. Air Force Capt. James Rawley Jones;
• Nicholson focused on political activist Mabel “Smithie” France Reynolds;
• Emma Jean Tucker spoke about physician Dr. Leo R. Carter;
• Dobson highlighted longtime community leader Leonard H. Moore.
The recent event further included Donnie Nicholson reading the lyrics to “The Impossible Dream” and remarks by Melanee Bennett.
Key museum support
Nicholson praised the involvement of museum staff members Karen Nealis and Emily Morgan for making the virtual program a success. They videotaped, edited and shared it on the museum website for viewing by the community. It can be watched via the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Facebook page, she said. That can be found at https://www.facebook.com/mountairymuseum/
“We also thank the community and families for providing the information for our 2022 local hidden figures,” Nicholson related. “We look forward to making more presentations to Surry Countians continuing the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the years to come.”
The NAUW also is eagerly awaiting additional celebrations of cultural and historical facts and artistry in the coming months, including Black History Month and beyond, according to Nicholson.
In 2021, the first of the two virtual MLK birthday programs had been highlighted by the presentation of two Dreamer of the Year Awards to founders and sisters Cheryl Yellow Fawn Scott (in her memory) and LaDonna McCarther.
“These two ladies spent fifteen years presenting awards and honors to educators, entrepreneurs, ministers, care-givers, laypeople, veterans and neighbors,” Nicholson explained.
”They provided the element of surprise each year and it was finally their turn.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com