The Twentieth Annual MLK Celebration is slated for Sunday, January 15, 2017 from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the Raytown South High School located at 8211 Sterling Avenue in Raytown. The event is organized by the Raytown Community Interfaith Alliance.

The Raytown South High School Jazz Band and Cardinal Chorale will perform. The Raytown South Middle School Jazz Band will perform as people gather for the celebration at 3:40 p.m.

Keynote speaker for the event will be Cheryl Brown Henderson, President of The Brown Foundation which was established as a living tribute to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Brown vs. Board of Education. Cheryl Brown Henderson is one of the three daughters of the late Rev. Oliver L. Brown who in the fall of 1950 along with 12 other parents, led by attorneys for the NAACP, filed suit on behalf of their children against the local Board of Education. She is the Founding President of The Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, and owner of Brown & Associates, educational consulting firm. She has extensive background in education, business and civic leadership, having served on and chaired various local, state and national Boards.

Raytown Mayor Michael McDonough will issue the annual MLK Proclamation. Winners of the “MLK Today” essay contest will be announced. A record 3,785 students from the Raytown School District submitted essays describing how King’s words are relevant to them today. The number of essays has increased from 1,671 in 2016 and just 45 in 2015. Caring for Kids, the Raytown Police Benefit Fund and Graceway sponsored the essay awards.

For more information contact Pat Jackson at 816-820-4746 or patjackson@brpcraytown.org. Visit the Raytown Community Interfaith Alliance at Rcifa.org.