Anne Arundel Community College and several distinguished political, business and community leaders will honor a message of brotherhood, compassion and humanitarianism at the 25th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 16.

A sold-out event, the breakfast is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. at the David S. Jenkins Gymnasium on the AACC Arnold campus, 101 College Parkway.

"In addition to honoring Dr. King, this event will recognize the good works, volunteer spirit and humanitarian efforts of several local residents, all of whom embody the faithful ideals of Dr. King himself," said AACC President Martha A. Smith.

Keynoted by the Rev. Frank M. Reid III, D.M., pastor of Baltimore’s Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the breakfast salutes the spirit of Dr. King and his inspirational message of compassion.

"Rev. Reid is one of the most eloquent ministers in our state and I suspect that the address that he will deliver will be both enlightening and inspirational," said Carl O. Snowden, chair of the breakfast planning committee. "We are delighted to have him keynote our 25th anniversary breakfast."

The event also will honor student winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest in addition to recipients of the City of Annapolis Human Relations Commission’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award, the Anne Arundel Coalition of Tenants Inc.’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, the AACC Black Student Union’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Zeitgeist Award, the United Black Clergy’s Leon H. White Clergy Memorial Award and the Anne Arundel County Human Relations Commission’s Dallas G. Pace Sr. Humanitarian Award.

Sponsored by the Annapolis chapter of the Links Inc., a nonprofit community organization for local youth, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest awards nine students enrolled in county elementary, middle and high schools who best explain why Dr. King’s message is important to them and how it impacts their lives.

First-place awardees are: Olivia Turner Braley, Annapolis Elementary School; Jaterra Gray, Crofton Middle School and Aubrey S. Quasney, Northeast High School. Second-place awardees are: Melissa Prather, Fort Smallwood Elementary School; Stephen Sernick, Bates Middle School and Nile E. Calhoun, Annapolis High School. Third-place honorees are: A.J. Kanablocki, West Meade Elementary School; Tianerra Stewart, Mills-Parole Elementary School and Andrea Elizabeth Kurylas, Crofton Middle School.

In recognizing outstanding local humanitarian efforts, the Annapolis Human Relations Commission will present the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award to Raynaldo G. Brown of Annapolis, a city employee with more than a decade of volunteer service to various community youth programs. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award will be presented by the Anne Arundel Coalition of Tenants to Edith Segree, a former substitute teacher and associate judge of the Orphans’ Court.

The AACC Black Students’ Success Team, a student counseling and mentoring group, will receive the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Zeitgeist Award. Sponsored by the AACC Black Student Union, the award highlights those who have helped AACC promote equal opportunity for all students.

In honoring local community activists, the United Black Clergy of Anne Arundel County will present the Leon H. White Clergy Memorial Award to Bishop Antonio M. Palmer, founding pastor of Burning Bush Ministries in Annapolis. Also, the Anne Arundel County Human Relations Commission will award the Dallas G. Pace Sr. Humanitarian Award to LeRoy A. "Boots" Battle, a former Tuskegee Airman and longtime Prince George’s County educator.

Although tickets to the 25th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast are sold out, tax-deductible donations to underwrite the breakfast are welcome. Proceeds will go toward a new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, which the committee hopes to erect on the AACC Arnold campus. For information, call 410-222-1821.

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