SPRINGFIELD —The highlight of the day was an inspiring set of presentations by singers and performers of all ages, but the city’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day had an even broader sense of purpose than that.
Booths lined the foyer outside the MassMutual Center auditorium, covering a wide range of areas that spoke to King’s values: quality of life, human dignity, education and activism.
Inside the auditorium, music and dance performances dazzled a standing-room-only audience and resonated to the “In Times Like These” theme of this year’s event.
As gospel singers were performing inside the auditorium, a 36-year-old man was stopping by the voter registration information booth hosted on the outside by the city’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Presbyterian Church.
He wasn’t sure he had ever voted before.
"We can check for you right now,'' church representative Gravin Dillard said as he worked the booth with Lisa Baker, a church elder. A couple of computer clicks later, it was verified the man’s status as a registered voter, and identified where he could cast his ballot in the 2020 election.
The church pastor explained the need for the mission.
"Many people just don’t know the process. We want to encourage them to vote for political candidates who will impact their best interests,'' Rev. Dr. Terrlyn Curry Avery said.
"In our history, we’ve seen the impact (of voting or not voting) in poor communities, and in states,'' she said. As the election season approaches, the church hopes to organize town hall meetings, possibly prior to the March 3 Massachusetts presidential primary.
The booth did not promote or endorse individual candidates. Rather, it campaigned for participation in democracy by letting potential voters know immediately if they were registered or if not, how to do so.
In that regard, it spoke to the echoes of the turbulent times during which King lived. Notable was the 1964 Freedom Summer, an attempt to register black voters in Mississippi, that led to the deaths of at least seven civil rights workers or African-Americans.
Visitors and speakers in Springfield included Governor Charlie Baker and State Rep. Bud Williams, who delivered a fiery message on the need to campaign for equality. Williams is currently engaged in an effort to avert the closing of TD Bank’s planned Jan. 31 closing of its Mason Square branch, which would leave the urban neighborhood without a full-service bank.
The auditorium was filled with music by more than 800 youths in Springfield. Participants included the Community Music School (CMSS) of Springfield, which partners with the city’s public schools, the Springfield Community Chorale, the Martin Luther King Day Festival Orchestra, gospel and inspirational music, oratories and a dramatic performance by D.R.E.A.M Studios.
The day’s celebration was a collaborative hosted by CMSS, Martin Luther King Jr Family Services, D.R.E.A.M Studios and Springfield College. The Community Music School of Springfield is one of the city’s more admirable resources - one all too often overlooked by the general public - that blends students of all ages, ability levels, economic and ethnic backgrounds into a shared and unified cultural experience.
Informational booths covered a wide range of quality-of-life areas: education, substance recovery, child care and supervision, anti-bullying campaigns, church involvement, health services and more.
One booth provided information for the Clemente Course for the Humanities, which provides opportunities for adults to return to school. Completion of the twice-weekly classes allow such students to resume their academic careers at community college.
The celebration’s theme spoke to the turmoil of modern American society and the urgency to recapture King’s unifying message. His assassination in 1968 has left it to future generations to carry on his words of brotherhood and respect for human rights and dignity.
"In light of the uncertainties around race relations and the polarization of various groups who continue to feel marginalized, this opportunity reminds of us we have to opportunity to engage in simple acts at school, at work and in our families, that strengthen our community in the spirit of unity that defines the legacy of Dr. King,'' said Ronn Johnson, the CEO of Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services.
One public service announcement during the musical presentation referred to one of King’s often overlooked passions - a call for available health services to all.
"Dr. King said that of all the inequalities, injustice to health care is the most shocking and inhumane,'' the statement declared. It also called for a renewed dedication to equality in American society.
"Our days begin to end when we remain silent on the things that matter,'' it said.
Sponsors of the event included the MassMutual Center, Focus Springfield, Springfield Cultural Council, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Springfield College, Basketball Hall of Fame, Westfield State University, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and New England Public Radio.
A steady stream of visitors attended throughout the two-hour presentation. The auditorium was packed as visitors shared the many methods of delivering King’s poignant message to a 21st Century society.
“We must all speak out against intolerance and be change agents,'' Johnson said. "The MLK Day Celebration inspires us reclaim the dream of a beloved community.”