'Become the dream': NAACP holds MLK Day celebration

By Lauren Hines | Jan. 17, 2022 | Columbia Missourian

In a small church off Fourth Street on Monday morning, red carpeted pews filled up, and excited chatter filled the room. Under the stained glass windows, attendees of the Columbia NAACP’s MLK Day celebration applauded speakers and chimed in with calls of support.

“We are in a very trying time right now,” said Pamela Hardin, first vice president of the Columbia NAACP. “We don’t have to just stop and depend on the dream of Dr. King. We ourselves should have a dream that we want to live in a society where we are judged by who we are.”

The celebration was held Monday at the Second Missionary Baptist Church after a gathering at the MLK Memorial at Battle Gardens. In addition to providing free blood pressure checks at the event, the NAACP and Big Daddy’s BBQ also provided 150 meals to the St. Francis House, McCambridge Center, Rainbow House, Paquin Towers and Room at the Inn.

Rev. Anthony Woods said a more diverse crowd attended this year than in the past. (The Columbia NAACP held its celebration online last year because of the pandemic.)

“The heart of those who really care about the change in our community, about the social justice, about racism, about division ... (have) been touched to the point to say, ‘It may not directly affect me, but it directly affects my neighbor,’” Woods said of the change.

Attendees also felt a sense of optimism at the celebration.

“In a year in which we could probably drown in pessimism and cynicism, ... it’s great now to have optimism and energy and to counter the negativity of the past 60 years,” said attendee Larry Brown.

As leader of the event, Hardin repeatedly mentioned how this year seemed to have more urgency regarding voting rights and the Freedom to Vote Act.

“This is something that Dr. King fought very hard for, and it’s something we’re going to have to fight very hard for,” Hardin said. “So right now, it’s kind of a big issue that’s out there that we’re going to be working toward.”

As part of the celebration, audience members received awards, sang the “Lift Every Voice and Sing” anthem and signed up for NAACP memberships. Speakers included Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, city of Mexico Mayor Ayanna Shivers and Second Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Clyde Ruffin.

Treece highlighted that this would be his last MLK Day celebration as Columbia’s mayor and acknowledged the historical importance of the upcoming swearing in of the first African American Columbia city manager, De’Carlon Seewood.

Keynote speaker Shivers ended the celebration with a speech and a call to action.

“We can’t just come here once a year and talk about the greatness that (King) represents,” Shivers said. “The dream becomes a reality when we stop waiting for it to happen, but we become the dream and make it happen.”

Originally published in the Columbian Missourian.