Calendar of Martin Luther King Jr. events in the Kansas City area

Annual MLK Celebration: Join the Olathe Human Relations Commission to celebrate the legacy; keynote speaker Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; featuring visual artwork, essays, along with multimedia awards for local students, 3 to 5 p.m., Olathe Conference Center, K-10 and Ridgeview Road, Olathe, free.

33rd Annual Northland Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration: Featured speaker will be the Rev. Kasey Jones, the first woman and African-American pastor of the National Memorial Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme is, “The man, the dream, the legacy.” 10 a.m., Gano Chapel, William Jewell College, 500 College Hill, Liberty.

Annual MLK Celebration: The Rev. Jimmy Brown of St. Louis will be the keynote speaker; this year’s theme is “In light of the Dream, where do we go from here, chaos or community?” Also featuring a gospel choir and array of performances, scholarships also will be awarded. 11 a.m., Jack Reardon Convention Center, Fifth Street and Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.

Community Forum: All are invited to attend, 3:30 p.m., Friendship Baptist Church, 3530 Chelsea, Kansas City, free, 913-522-7526.

King Celebration: Bob Kendrick of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will be the keynote speaker, along with a performance by the Lee’s Summit High School Jazz Band, 5:30 p.m., John Knox Village, 520 N.W. Murray Road, Lee’s Summit.

The King Holiday Mass Celebration: Keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, 6 p.m., Friendship Baptist Church, 3530 Chelsea, Kansas City, free, 913-522-7526.

13th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy and Scholarship Awards Dinner: Carson Ross, Blue Springs mayor, will be honored; it will also recognize those who promote diversity and King’s message of inclusion, 7 p.m., Overland Park Marriott Hotel, 108th Street and Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, 816-920-7774.

2017 MLK Freedom Scholarship Dinner: Beth Tankersley-Bankhead, director of post-secondary initiatives for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, will be the keynote speaker; proceeds from the dinner will go toward scholarships, 6:30 p.m., University of Central Missouri, Elliott Union Ballroom, Warrensburg, $50 - $100, 660-543-4156.

11th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration: Featured speaker the Rev. Marvin Daniels, executive director of The Hope Center, will present thoughts on “Lights of Hope,” 9:30 a.m., MidAmerica Nazarene University, College Church of the Nazarene, 2020 E. Sheridan, Olathe.

18th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast: Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity will hold a continental breakfast event that will feature musical tributes and speaker Dwayne Smith, provost and academic affairs vice president at Harris-Stowe State University, 7:30 a.m., Beta Lambda Educational Institute, 2915 Swope Parkway, Kansas City.

42nd Annual Black Achievers Reception and Award Dinner: The SCLS and Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City will host; this event is admission from guest list only, 6 p.m., Federal Reserve Bank, 1 Memorial Drive, Kansas City.

10th Anniversary of the Peace Builder Awards Luncheon: This year’s recipients are Tom Patteson, director of international education, Johnson County Community College; the Don Bosco Centers, which provide life skill services and citizenship resources to immigrants. RSVP by Jan. 17, your advance check confirms your reservation, 11:30 a.m., Grand St. Cafe, 4740 Grand Ave., Kansas City, $37, G.A.M.E., 3009 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO 64109, or info@kcglobalconcepts.org.

Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture Series: Guest speaker Sister Souljah, a hip-hop generation best selling author, activist and recording artist ad film producer, open to the public, registration is required, 6 p.m., Swiney Recreation Center, 5030 Holmes, Kansas City, 816-235-1000.

This story was originally published January 15, 2017 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Calendar of Martin Luther King Jr. events in the Kansas City area."