The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Rock Island will hold its 43rd Annual Memorial Service and Awards Celebration from 10:30 a.m. to noon Monday, Jan. 19.
The event, which honors the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has a 2026 theme of “A time for vigorous and positive action.”
Marshall E. Glover Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, Rock Island Citizen of the Year, and King Center Kid will emcee the event in the Ida Robinson Banquet Room at the MLK Center, 630 9th St.
The program includes:
- Featured speaker Pastor Corey C. Parker, Sr.
- Musical selections from LaToya Trice.
- Spoken word performance by Aubrey Barnes.
- Presentation of the “I Have A Dream Award” for outstanding community service.
- M.L. Lockhart Scholarship and Black Hawk College Commitment to Diversity Scholarship presentations.
- Youth Expression Contest Awards.
The service will be live-streamed on YouTube (@MLKCenterRockIsland) and Facebook (@MLKCenterRockIsland). A recording will be available after the service.
Also beginning Monday, a photography exhibit using the Photovoice technique will be on display at the MLK Center. The exhibit showcases photographs of Rock Island’s West End with captions, all produced by students at Thurgood Marshall Learning Center with support from Augustana College.
The memorial event is supported by a generous grant from the Rauch Family Foundation.
For more information, call (309) 732-2999.
