About

Our Mission

To reaffirm and reflect upon the American ideals of freedom, justice and peace. To that end, we pledge to work inclusively with community partners to:

  • Lift and live principles of non-violence, equality and love;
  • Tell the stories of the struggles;
  • Provide education and leadership training for adults and youth; and
  • Promote reconciliation through peaceful conflict resolution.

Our History

The first recorded community celebration for the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in January of 1982. Reverend William D. Booth served as chair and the Reverend Harold A. Middlebrook, co-chair. The first speaker for the MLK celebration was the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth.

In 1983, the Knoxville Inter-denominational Christian Ministerial Alliance began having community services. These services were started before the celebration became a federal or local holiday. At the same time, several other organizations were holding celebrations, including the Committee for the Development of the Black Community, the Walter Cansler YMCA, the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Knoxville College, The Black Cultural Center at the University of Tennessee, Beck Cultural Exchange Center and Mt. Calvary Baptist Church.

In 1987, the afore-mentioned groups formed a "General Planning Committee" to lead a community-wide celebration of the "Holiday." The Committee officially became what is now known as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commemoration Commission later that year.

The first community-wide service was held in 1988 at the Greater Warner Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church. In 1990, the service was moved to the Knoxville City Auditorium where it remained for three years. In 1993, the service was moved back to Greater Warner where it has remained since. The following are a few of the guest speakers the Commission has had through the years: Dorothy Cotton, Naomi Barber King (Dr. King's sister-in-law), Hosea Williams (SCLC), Joseph Lowery (SCLC), Wyatt Tee Walker (SCLC), and Rev. C. T. Vivian -- aides of Dr. King's, Tennessee Speaker of the House Pro-Temp Lois DeBerry, U.S. Congressman Harold Ford, former NAACP CEO Benjamin Hooks, and Barbara Reynolds.

Over the years, the Commission has added the MLK Parade (1985),  the Leadership/Diversity Awards Luncheon (1990),  the Leadership Symposium on Equity and Opportunity (1992),  and the Youth Symposium (1993).  The Musical/Cultural/Arts Tribute and the Ebony Artistry Exposé exhibits are recent additions to the celebration.

A new era of leadership began in 2000 with Mrs. Loretta Bradley and Mr. Ivan Crutch becoming co-chairs after the Rev. Dr. Harold A. Middlebrook, Sr., founder and chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Commission, Inc. of Greater Knoxville assumed the distinguished position of Chair Emeritus.

In 2002, leadership again changed with Saadia L. Williams as Chair and John Sibley becoming Vice-Chair. Under their leadership, the Commission developed a website, launched a Youth Commission, and began the process of identifying an institutional home for the Commission.

Renee Kesler, Chair and Vyrone Cravanas, Vice-Chair took the helm in 2005 and the 2006 celebration marked their first endeavor as MLK Commission leaders. The Commission has added partnerships with with the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance to host an annual Community Forum, the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA for its Race Against Racism and a new partnership with the Children's Defense Fund Haley Farm for the MLK Youth Symposium.

Our hats are off to all who have worked so hard and diligently to make the Commission the body that it is today, as well as to those who have participated and contributed to the overall success of our endeavor. Thanks to you all!