Nov. 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, which designated the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Still, it would take 15 years of persistence by civil rights activists for the holiday to be approved by the federal government, as well as an additional 17 years for it to be recognized in all 50 states. Today, MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities, which is exactly what the MLK Support Group of Southeast Texas does each year.
The MLK Support Group of Southeast Texas will host its 40th annual brunch and celebration, along with a church service honoring Dr. King’s life and work, Jan. 18 and 19. The church service will be held Sunday, Jan. 18, at the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church from 3 – 5 p.m., where Pastor Randy Vaughn will deliver the MLK sermon. Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist church is located at 501 W. Thomas Blvd. in Port Arthur. Additionally, during the church service, the group will honor the “Let Freedom Ring” honorees.
Each year, the “Let Freedom Ring” honorees are chosen members of the community. Those awarded the title are recognized for efforts they exact to make a difference, just as Dr. King did, MLK Support Group President Terry Savoy-Hadley, said.
The larger public celebration event will be held Monday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at the Bob Bowers Civic Center, recognizing honorees with a program fit for a King – specifically, the man whose birth is being celebrated.
The honorees for 2026 are:
- Arthur Louis
- Joseph Johnson
- Larry Spears Jr.
- Igalious “Ike” Mills
- Dr. Rosalind Taville
- Roschon Johnson
- Verlie Nobles
- Dr. Thomas Noyola
- Adam Saunders
- Shelia Briggs
- Marjuana Bush Williams
- Anthony Cooper
- Sandra Conner
- C.J. Chenier
- Joyce James
“It’s important to highlight that people are still doing the work of Dr. King…from the smallest things to the largest things…it’s important that honorees are not overlooked, and that we appreciate and honor them,” Savoy-Hadley shared.
The MLK Support Group work has never been just about one day, though, as, over the years, they’ve worked to establish a youth program where high school students could travel to places that align with their passions. For example, a high schooler interested in politics would be taken to City Hall, or a student interested in acting would be taken to one of the Houston theaters. Then, on graduation, the students were awarded scholarships if they planned to attend college or a trade school after a certain amount of community service hours were replenished into the community.
While this exact practice has not been as implemented as it was due to the pandemic, the organization still regularly awards scholarships for graduating high school students, Savoy-Hadley added.
But, above all, Savoy-Hadley said part of the bigger picture is to keep the holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day alive, as his wife requested when she visited Port Arthur 41 years ago.
“We have kept our promise to Coretta Scott King, and now I’m keeping that promise to my mom, so we can honor and spotlight people in the community that’s doing amazing work,” Savoy-Hadley said.
As of press time, tickets to the program at Bob Bowers were sold out. Donations to the group’s mission can still be forwarded to cash.app/$PAMLKSG.
The MLK Support Group of SETX 40th Anniversary Musical Team is, however, recruiting youth and young adults to sing at the service and brunch. Choir rehearsal is set for 1 p.m. every Saturday through Jan. 17 at Guiding Star Missionary Baptist Church, 448 Gizelle St. in Port Arthur.