DEMOPOLIS &045; As the nation celebrates the life and message of Dr. Martin Luther King, so too will area residents with the Second Annual Unity Celebration at Christian Chapel Church.

The First Annual Unity Celebration was held last year at the Demopolis Civic Center, and was started by Annie Robertson as part of a platform to provide scholarship money to male high school students from the area. Robertson said she wanted the program to serve as a way to make the youth of the area remember and reflect on the works and goals of King.

Young men from around the county were encouraged to write essays on the works and effects of the struggles of King. A committee was raised to choose the five best essays out of those submitted and a $500 scholarship was presented to the author.

The program was originally slated to hand out four scholarships but community support provided enough funds to add a fifth. Winners of the scholarships last year were Brandon Howard, William Seldon, Jermiah Black, Keon Maiden and Hakeem Hildreth.

This year’s program will also include scholarship presentations to several Marengo County male students.

The program last year included speakers Buddy Pickel and Amir Abdel-Malek, a former sophomore at Demopolis High School, who spoke about carrying on King’s legacy.

The event also hosted other performances by area youth. There were several musical performances, a mime act and an interpretive dance group from Eastern Star Baptist Church.

If you would like to learn more about this event, call 295-5261 or 289-4812.