Kansas City area honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy

Communities across the Kansas City area are pausing today to commemorate the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. From music to wellness seminars, events offer a range of choices to reflect on King’s legacy.

Some highlights:

• Each Metropolitan Community College campus will lead community service projects from 8:30 a.m. to noon on their campuses.

• A Northland celebration will feature performances by local jazz artist Lori Tucker, the William Jewell College Concert Choir and the Liberty Community Chorus, at 10 a.m. at the John Gano Memorial Chapel at William Jewell College, Mill Street and R.E. Bowles Drive in Liberty.

• Ohio pastor Otis Moss Jr., who worked with Martin Luther King Jr., will speak on “Martin, Mahatma, Mandela: Still Paying the Price for the Dream! — How Long?” at 11 a.m. at the Jack Reardon Civic Center, Fifth Street and Minnesota Avenue in Kansas City, Kan.

• The Doug Talley Quartet will play a jazz concert at noon at Community Christian Church, 4601 Main St.

• A panel discussion on renewing King’s Poor People’s Campaign will be at 3:30 p.m. at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, 2310 E. Linwood Blvd.

• The Metropolitan Community Choir and speaker Anita Russell, president of the Kansas City chapter of the NAACP, will lead a commemoration on the theme of “His Legacy Through Our Eyes” at 7 p.m. at the Truman Memorial Building, 416 E. Maple Ave. in Independence.

• Former Royal Frank White will speak at “Taking Strides to a Healthier You,” a program on health, wellness and financial planning, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Pavilion at John Knox Village, 520 N.W. Murray Road in Lee’s Summit.

This story was originally published January 19, 2014 at 10:48 PM with the headline "Kansas City area honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy."