Greenville attorney Karl B. Allen, SC State Senate District 7, said Saturday he was glad to be back in Waterloo, South Carolina. The civil rights advocate recently had been in Waterloo, Iowa, for an appearance, and there were 4 feet of snow on the ground. Allen was back in Waterloo to be the guest speaker at Laurens Country Branch of the NAACP 39th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner, hosted by Laurel Hill Baptist Church.
The event is timed each year for the national holiday/day of service and birthday of the late civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would be observing his 87th birthday. "He would have been interested in South Carolina," Allen said. "He would have been interested in April 4, 2015 - interested in the shooting of Walter Scott. He would have been interested in June 17, 2015, when 9 people were killed in a church. He would have been interested in July 10, 2015 when 'all is well in South Carolina' - and Confederate battle flag was lowered. Hate begats hate ... we must meet the forces of hate with the power of love."
Sheryl Lindsay Anderson was the dinner's Toastmistress. Others on the program were: James E. Mason, processional, introduction of dais and toastmistress; Sanita Luke, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing"; Rev. Anita Williams, invocation; Barbara Tompkins, welcome; Marian C. Miller, occasion; Rev. Herbert Glenn, greetings; Jermarius Evans, solo; Dr. Billy Strickland, superintendent, District 55, and Dr. David O'Shields, superintendent, District 56, community outreach; William Rinehart, musical selections; Rev. C. Lamont Jones, grace; Wilemena Jones, directions for serving dinner; Kathryn Beasley Barksdale, presentation of C.D. Beasley Sr. Service Award - presented to Lumus Byrd, represented by sister Christine Jones; Sydney Elmore, presentation of Julia A. Pearson Membership Award - presented to Irene Jackson; Robert E. Shortt, presentation of speaker; Adolphus Brewster, words of thanks and acknowledgements; and Rev. Guy Sullivan, benediction.
Ushers were members of the Laurens County Chapter NAACP Youth Council (Mrs. Alphrian McDowell, advisor), and Peppers Catering, Greenville, provided the meal. The program was In Memoriam - Ella Savage.
Theme for the program: "Pursuing Liberty in the Face of Injustice."
