Tag Archives: Atlanta

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Atlanta Pastor Completes 386-Mile March to Lorraine Motel in Memphis to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Dr. King’s Assassination (PHOTOS + VIDEO)

Hello World,

During the official MLK50 commemorations, Pastor Terence Lester completed a 386-mile march to the Lorraine Motel in Memphis last week. In March, Pastor Lester left the National Center of Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta to embark on the journey on foot to Memphis in honor of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination. The purpose of Lester’s march is to revive Dr. King’s “The Poor People’s Campaign” and to spread awareness about the alarming epidemic of homelessness and poverty around the country. Lester moved the crowd from the Lorraine Motel stage from as he gave reflection of his journey and the importance of passing the baton for justice.

“Dr. King believed that the next step towards equality was to eradicate a system that even 50 years later today, still keeps people enslaved to poverty. Systemic poverty is a civil rights issue affecting millions of people across the nation,” says Pastor Lester founder and executive director of Love Beyond Walls. “This march is a testament to Dr. King’s legacy and sheds light on the harsh realities of homelessness, food insecurity and poverty. It is time for the next generation to pick up the baton and we are on the frontlines to leading the charge.”

Love Beyond Walls is a 501c(3) nonprofit based in Atlanta, Georgia. Through hands-on assistance programs offering a temporary mobile shelter and operating the Love Center which provides clothing, laundry and groceries to the underserved, Love Beyond Walls has helped hundreds of men and women transition out of homelessness and poverty.

Check out a video and  few pictures from Pastor Lester’s video on the march below:

It’s official. The countdown begins. Today, I’ll make 21 days walking on behalf of the poor in our country. . On March 3rd, I set out on a 386 mile journey on foot to the Lorraine Motel (@ncrmuseum) to bring attention to poverty and honor MLK’s life. . I started from the Center for Civil & Human Rights (@ctr4chr) in Atlanta, GA and have walked all the way to Mississippi. . It’s my hope to arrive at the Lorraine by April 4th (MLK50th). . People have asked me what’s the one thing I’d want people to hear out of this sacrifice. It’s simple. . We have over a 100 million people in our country living near or below the poverty line. Therefore, “Poor People Matter.” . #MAP18 #lovebeyondwalls #MLK50th

A post shared by Terence Lester (@imterencelester) on

 

Pastor Terence Lester (center) leads March Against Poverty with his son and Gerald Griggs of NAACP Atlanta chapter by his side departing from the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta.

 

Pastor Lester alongside wife Cecilia and children.

 

Pastor Lester makes friends with homeless U.S. military veteran, Chris, along the walk.​

 

Pastor Lester and supporters join in the March Against Poverty.

 

Pastor Lester at the Alabama state line marker.

 

Pastor Lester continuing his march through the rain wearing a hoodie with text “Being Poor is Not a Crime”​

 

Pastor Lester crosses into Mississippi.

 

After 30 days, Pastor Lester officially makes it to Memphis.

 

Local supporters join Pastor Lester ​to finish the remaining 3 miles in Memphis to the Lorraine Motel.

 

Pastor Lester at the Lorraine Motel.

 

Pastor Lester sharing reflections from his journey and
the charge of the continuing Dr. King’s “Poor People’s Campaign”

For more information about the march, please visit marchagainstpoverty.com.

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Events in Atlanta & Memphis Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Hello World,

To be clear, today April 4, 2018, is not a day that we celebrate the assassination of likely the greatest civil rights leader to have ever lived 50 years ago before he was shot to death on April 4, 1968. We are commemorating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and times not the tragedy of the death of a 39-year-old man who accomplished more than many who lived two of his lifetimes…

If you are in Atlanta, Georgia, his birthplace or Memphis, Tennessee, where he was assassinated, you have many opportunities to commemorate his life and times. Below are just a sampling of these events:

From The King Center’s website mlk50forward.org:

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Prize Award Ceremony on April 4, 2018, Ceremony: 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m., Luncheon: 12 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize is The King Center’s highest award presented for commitment to nonviolence as a way of life through which social justice, human rights and civil liberties are attained for all. The prize also recognizes achievements in the eradication of poverty and racism, and the successful quest for alternatives to war. Honoring Benjamin Ferencz and Bryan Stevenson. To register and for more information, go to eventbrite.com. 
  • Global Bell Ringing & Wreath Laying on April 4, 2018 at 6:01 p.m. CST. The Global Bell Ringing will begin at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN and The King Center in conjunction with the rest of the world.
    The Wreath Laying, which will include the King Family, will take place at the crypt of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • King Centennials Speaks on April 7, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The Centennial Generation of “King Children”, Miss Yolanda Renee King, Granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Miss Maryn Rippy, Granddaughter of AD King, will host an event highlighting youth all over the world doing innovative and extraordinary work for humanity. The program
    will be co-emceed by Hudson Yang, Eddie from ABC’s “Fresh off the Boat” and  Storm Reid, Meg from the movie “A Wrinkle in Time.” Admission is free, but you must register at eventbrite.com. 
  • March for Humanity & Love for Humanity Tribute on April 9, 2018. The march will be 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., and the Morehouse Event will be 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The March in Atlanta will begin in front of Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and end at the campus of Morehouse College followed by a Love for Humanity Tribute. Registration is required.

From the National Civil Rights Museum’s website mlk50.civilrightsmuseum.org:

  • 10:00 AM Daylong Tributes from the MLK50 Main Stage in the Museum Courtyard on April 4 – Musical, dance and spoken word performances and reflections from civil rights leaders in salute to Dr. King. Free to the public.
  • 3:30 PM The 6:01 50th Anniversary Ceremony from the Balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4– The Beloved Community will gather for the official ceremony with the laying of the wreath, ecumenical liturgy, musical and spoken word tributes, and remarks from civil rights icons. Free to the public.
  • 6:01 PM Bell Toll on April 4 – Bells ring at places of worship, college campuses or institutions 39 times across the nation to honor the number of years Dr. King dwelled on this earth and to pay homage to his legacy.
  • 6:15 PM Evening of Storytelling – Civil Rights Icons and New Movement Makers in dialogue about “the Movement” then and now. This is a ticketed event at Crosstown Concourse in Memphis. The event will address the MLK50 theme, Where Do We Go From Here? Michael Eric Dyson and April Ryan will co-moderate a session with a set of candid discussions on the political, legal, and cultural aspects of social justice activism.  Former MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall will host a session with CongressmanJohn Lewis and James Lawson.  Invited speakers will share their recollections from the front lines, analysis of modern strategies, and ideas for new techniques that modern activists can use to further Dr. King’s platforms for peace, justice and equity.  Confirmed guests include seasoned civil rights icons Jesse Jackson,Marian Wright Edelman, Diane Nash, Clarence Jones, Bill Lucy,Coby Smith, Mike Cody, and Elaine Turner along with newcomers Yadon Israel, Bree Newsome, Quentin James, Nicole Porter, Tamika Mallory, Alicia Garza, and Tami Sawyer.  Apparently, this event is sold out, but you never know if someone will not show up and you can get in 🙂 For more information, go to mlk50.civilrightsmuseum.org.

Also, through Civil Rights Tours Atlanta, on Saturday, April 7, you can retrace the funeral route of Dr. King. See the places 50 years ago that served as key points in his funeral. They will also be observing the third anniversary of Civil Rights Tours Atlanta — showing you how incredibly things have changed. Reserve your seat @ www.civilrightstour.com and use the promo code “Civil” for a 20% discount!

And if you don’t live in Atlanta or Memphis, below is a link to an interview with journalist Alexis Scott.

From WABE.org:

Her grandfather founded “The Atlanta Daily World,” the nation’s oldest daily African-American newspaper. Scott became the paper’s publisher for 17 years and is currently a political commentator for “The Georgia Gang.” For WABE’s ongoing ATL68 series, Alexis Scott joined Lois Reitzes on “City Lights” to discuss her impressions of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 50 years after his assassination.

How are you commemorating the life and times of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Any thoughts?

 

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Check Out My Article in Christian Standard! (I Interviewed My Dad!)

Me and my family….

Hello World,

Since Black History Month, the shortest month of the year, is not over yet, check out an article I wrote about my personal Black History LOL for Christian Standard this month. I was blessed to be able to write about the ministry of my father Dr. Denzil D. Holness, who recently retired after 38 years serving as pastor of Central Christian Church in Southwest Atlanta. Although I lived with my father as I grew up and again for a few years after I graduated from college, I still discovered some things about him that I didn’t know. In fact, I think everyone should interview their parents beyond the day-to-day interactions because I’m sure you will gain a new perspective on the people whose genes you share…

Pastor Denzil Holness Spreads a Message of Racial Reconcilation…

Had Denzil D. Holness been hired as a pastor in Coward, South Carolina, or Peculiar, Missouri, or any other out-of-the-way American town or city, he may not have been led to take on racial reconciliation in the Christian church. However, since Holness was hired as the first black pastor at Central Christian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, “The City Too Busy to Hate,” it would seem tackling racial reconciliation was God’s plan for him all along.

Committed to Christian Church Principles

Holness became CCC’s pastor in September 1979 and in December 2017, he retired from ministry after 38 years serving that church. Holness began his journey with the Christian church when he was a teenager in his homeland of Jamaica, which boasts the motto, “Out of Many, One People.” Originally a member of the Anglican church, Holness was persuaded by a friend to join the Christian church because of its principles.

“The more I learned about the Christian church, the more I became committed,” Holness said. “For example, we believe that all Christians should be one. We don’t use denominational labels or names. If the world is to be won to Christ, then believers should bear witness to a visible unity in accordance with the Lord’s prayer in John 17.”

Just before Holness graduated from high school, Fred Kratt, a missionary from the United States, visited Jamaica one summer and was instrumental in arranging for the young man to receive a full scholarship to attend Minnesota Bible College, Kratt’s alma mater.

“Prior to receiving that scholarship, I had been under the conviction that the Lord was calling me to the ministry,” Holness said. Although he received a catalog about the school before he started there, he did not realize Minnesota was much colder than sunny Jamaica. “That first winter, it was so cold, I almost cried,” Holness said with a smile.

Fast forward from the 1960s to April 1979. By then, Holness was married to fellow Jamaican Alice May Holness, and they had a daughter, me, and a son, Delvall.

Read the rest of the story at christianstandard.com.

Any thoughts?