Numerous City of Knoxville colleagues participated in local events remembering the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the community’s celebration of the Civil Rights leader. 

Knoxville’s Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Commission hosted the MLK Leadership Awards Luncheon at the University of Tennessee’s new Student Union on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. 

Mayor Indya Kincannon was among the event’s speakers, and during the awards ceremony, our very own Charles Lomax Jr. received the Diversity Champion award.
 



Author Nona Jones gave a thought-provoking keynote presentation; you can watch a clip of it here. 




The MLK parade scheduled for Monday, Jan. 17, was canceled due to snow and ice. However, the efforts of the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment and Community Empowerment will not be in vain!

The parade will be held in June as part of the Commission’s Juneteenth celebration.

And the poster panels designed for the float will be on display on the 6th floor during Black History Month. 

Our videographer Shawn Davis took the opportunity to visit Rev. Renee Kesler, director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, to learn more about Dr. King’s impact on our community is our community’s treasure trove of local Black history.