Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Committee on Friday, Feb. 18, will host a tribute honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and heroes of the Civil Rights movement during Black History Month. “Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things for the Fight for Freedom” will be a free event starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.
Strathmore
is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda. It is accessible by the
Metro Red Line.
The
County’s annual in-person event to honor Dr. King was originally planned for
January, but was postponed due to the increased spread of COVID-19 and the
Omicron variant.
“Ordinary
People Doing Extraordinary Things for the Fight for Freedom” will
highlight the lives of celebrities and everyday people who supported Martin
Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. The event will address how the nation’s
most celebrated superstars put their careers and lives on the line to fight for
freedom and justice for all. It also will feature local civil rights
participants who made significant contributions to the fight for justice.
The event
will include musical performances and reenactments of celebrities such as Harry
Belafonte, Joan Baez, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone and more.
Montgomery
County Public Schools students were given the opportunity to submit a poem or
song written with an understanding and appreciation of the ideals of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Three winners have been chosen and will perform their
submissions at the event.
For
more information, visit the Strathmore
website or
the Montgomery
County Office of Human Rights website.
