THE DIGITAL REPOSITORY FOR THE BLACK EXPERIENCE
Second Presbyterian Church
1936 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States
On Monday, January 16, 2006, The HistoryMakers, in collaboration with N’Digo and The Chicago Defender, hosted its second annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration and Open House at Second Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois. The program began with commentary by N'Digo publisher Hermene Hartman and was followed by a panel discussion entitled Is The Civil Rights Era Dead? The panel discussion was moderated by WVON radio host Cliff Kelley and featured Judge George Leighton, activist Timuel Black, Publisher Hermene Hartman and Attorney James Montgomery. The panelists, all of them HistoryMakers, shared their views on the state of the nation since Dr. King’s death and the condition of black America and social change in today’s society. The ensuing discussion also examined each panelist’s rich history and involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.
This program was complimented by the inspiring and harmonious voices of the Whitney Young High School Gospel Choir. Following the symposium, more than 100 people toured The HistoryMakers’ archives and participated in interactive oral history training sessions. The program served as a catalyst for audience members to reevaluate their personal involvement in preserving African American history.