Annapolis, Md. — The 37th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Banquet will be held Wednesday, Jan. 15, 5-10 p.m. at the Casino Live Hotel Ballroom, 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, Md. This inspiring evening is the largest celebration of Dr. King’s birthday in Anne Arundel County. Dignitaries attending will include U.S. Representative-elect Sarah Elfreth; Senator Chris Van Hollen; County Executive Steuart Pittman; and Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. The keynote speaker will be New York Times best-selling author and radio host Clay Cane.
The evening will honor 12 local men and women, including Maryland’s first Black senator-Angela Alsobrooks, for her groundbreaking service in Maryland; Carroll Hynson, Jr., the first African American to lead departments at BWI Airport; and Comptroller Brooke Lierman, the state’s first female chief fiscal officer. The banquet will feature a special performance by well-known musical artist Scotti Preston. Tickets are $100 per person. Tickets are available for purchase at https://mlkjrmd.org/. Doors open at 5 pm- program begins at 6 pm. For more information, contact Arlene Jackson at 301-538-6353.
The banquet will also kick off fundraising for a monument honoring the legacy of the Honorable Parren J. Mitchell (1922-2007), the first African American elected to Congress from Maryland. He fought for affirmative action legislation as chair of the small business committee resulting in passage of legislation that set aside 10% of federal contracts for minority businesses. He served seven consecutive terms through 1987.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Program in Anne Arundel County was founded in 1988 by then Alderman Carl Snowden. Designed to pay homage to the memory of Dr. King, the program honors those whose deeds, words, and actions have helped keep Dr. King’s legacy alive. The program is a reflection on the best Anne Arundel County has to offer.
Honorees
Photo credit: MLK Jr. Committee of Anne Arundel County.
