Rochester's Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Rochester's annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We Have a Dream Celebration will be held virtually this year.

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The annual community event is held to commemorate the life and work of Dr. King. The program, hosted by the Rochester Diversity Council and the NAACP Rochester Branch, will start at 8 a.m on Monday and feature entertainment from Ill Chemistry, poetry reading, and a featured keynote speaker.

This year’s featured keynote speaker is Lorien Lature Elizabeth Carter, who was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and grew up in New York City. She is a mother, an author, a writer, a poet, and an advocate for the black and brown community. She moved back to Madison and began her community/activist work in 2015 after her nephew was killed by a Madison Police officer. The title of her address is “Their guilt, Our Responsibility.”

You can see the entire schedule of events and register for the link to join the celebration on the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce Website.

LOOK: 50 essential civil rights speeches

Many of the speakers had a lifetime commitment to human rights, but one tried to silence an activist lobbying for voting rights, before later signing off on major civil rights legislation. Several fought for freedom for more than one oppressed group.

Keep reading to discover 50 essential civil rights speeches.