FORT SCOTT, Kan. — With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day quickly approaching, Fort Scott Community College and the Gordon Parks Museum are planning a series of events to celebrate the life of the civil rights hero.
Activities will kick off Thursday, Jan. 12, at the Gordon Parks Museum with a hosting of the Fort Scott Area Chamber Coffee at 8 a.m. and a film showing at 10 a.m. of “Martin,” a ballet tribute to Dr. King written and directed by Gordon Parks.
On Friday, Jan. 13, the community is invited to the Ellis Fine Arts Center for a free Lunch and Learn event that will be held at noon, featuring a music and speaking presentation by multicultural artist, community organizer, researcher, and educator, Alex Kimball Williams. A reception will follow with birthday cake. Lunch and dessert will be provided by Great Western Dining. The day will also include three film showings at 9 a.m. (“Awakenings”), 1:30 p.m. (“Fighting Back”) and 3:30 p.m. (“Ain’t Scared of Your Jails”).
The celebration will wrap up on Monday, Jan. 16, with a Lunch and Learn event and canned food drive. Canned and non-perishable (non-expired) food items for the Beacon Food Pantry in Fort Scott, Kansas, will be collected at the museum from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Lunch and Learn speaker presentation “Good Trouble” by John Edgar Tidwell will be held at noon.
Lunch will be provided by Dunk’s BBQ. Drinks and desserts will be provided by Great Western Dinning. Films will also be shown throughout the day on Monday at 9 a.m. (“No Easy Walk”), 10:30 a.m. (“Mississippi: Is this America?”), and 1:30 p.m. (“In Remembrance of Martin”). All events will take place at the Gordon Parks Museum and Ellis Fine Arts Center.
For more information, visit www.gordonparkscenter.org, call the Gordon Parks Museum at 620-223-2700 ext. 5850, or email gordonparkscenter@fortscott.edu.
