The 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, hosted by Elma Morrison, the Sanders High Alumni, the City of Laurens, and the Sanders High School Class of 1966, was a successful celebration. Held at the Laurens Museum on January 18th, the event brought together community members, local leaders, and students to honor Dr. King's legacy.
This year’s celebration kicked off with the entire crowd in attendance singing a powerful rendition of "We Shall Overcome," followed by a group prayer. The collective voice of the crowd powerfully filled the room, setting the tone for the meaningful and inspiring event ahead.
The event featured inspiring speeches, including one by Sally Austin, who quoted Dr. King asked, "Are we really living the dream?" which resonated deeply with the audience. A young girl from Clinton, SC, received applause for her impressive speech about what Dr. King's dream means to her. She says, "He is part of the reason I don't have to dream of being great, I can just do it."
Mrs. Julia Clinton, gave a soulful performance of, ‘Trouble of the World,’ a song which carries the message of hope and freedom. One of the speakers paid tribute to Mrs. Elma Morrison and the Sanders High School Alumni Association, thanking them for keeping the memory of Sanders High School alive.
In a moving update to Dr. King, the speaker noted, "Not only are little black boys and little black girls walking hand in hand with little white boys and little white girls, they're walking hand in hand as husband and wife... Freedom is ringing from Laurens, SC."
Shortly after, the Nu Theta Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority provided a delicious meal, serving as a testament to their commitment to honoring Dr. King's legacy through their "Service to All Mankind" motto.
Following dinner, awards were presented to students in three different age groups for their essays on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The winners were:
Laurens Mayor, Nathan Senn, delivered a heartfelt speech, praising the young people of Laurens for their participation. "We're not done, but we are better... we still have a heart problem," he said, "The cure for our heart problem is to not talk at each other, but to each other."
He showed his appreciation to the association with a sincere message, “Thank you to the Sanders Alumni Association for your dedication to not only remember the legacy of the High School, but to change hearts within this community.”
The evening concluded with Mrs. Elma Morrison thanking everyone in attendance, particularly the teachers, for, “all of the love, dedication, and support that you’ve poured into our children,” she said. The evening ended with everyone coming together to sing the Sanders High School Alumni Chant, a testament to the love and unity that binds Laurens County together.
