Donzaleigh Abernathy

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will host their 42nd Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon with Donzaleigh Abernathy, King’s goddaughter, as the keynote speaker.

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From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, community members and SIUE students will gather at the SIUE Meridian Ballroom on the SIUE campus for the luncheon, which includes music, Abernathy’s speech, and an award ceremony. The Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub hosts the annual event as a way to honor King’s legacy.

This year’s theme is “Let Us March On,” which comes from King’s 1965 “Our God is Marching On” speech.

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SIUE is excited to welcome Abernathy as the event’s keynote speaker. Abernathy was born in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. Her parents, Rev. Dr. Ralph David and Juanita Jones Abernathy, were close friends with the Kings. Her father was a co-founder of the Civil Rights Movement.

Abernathy’s home and her father’s church were bombed when she was a child. She participated in several major Civil Rights Movement marches, and she integrated Spring Street Elementary School alongside her siblings and the Kings’ children.

During her speech at SIUE, Abernathy will speak about her experiences growing up in the Civil Rights Movement. She has also authored “Partners To History: Martin Luther King, Ralph David Abernathy and the Civil Rights Movement” and several speeches. She is an award-winning writer, actress and speaker.

Following Abernathy’s speech, the luncheon will recognize the recipients of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards, including the SIUE Student Scholarship, the Humanitarian Award and the Local Youth Awards.

For more information, contact MLKCelebration@siue.edu or call 618-650-3179.