Attendees at the 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast were dressed to the nines as they sang, clapped and danced to honor the historic leader on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the university ballroom.-The event was presented by the Northern District Baptist Association Women’s Auxiliary in association with the CSUS Black Staff & Faculty Association.-Images of Dr. King flashed on two screens as prominent members of the Sacramento Baptist community spoke to the audience.-Keynote speaker Dr. Clayborn Lea, Jr. commended Sacramento State for “continuing to make certain that we do not forget the dreamer.”-The speakers all showed excitement for the upcoming presidential inauguration. “What a great time it is to be an American,” Lea said.

Rev. Jessie G. Shavers, Sr., of the Sacramento Baptist Ministers’ Conference also commented on the election of the first black president. He said, “On Nov. 4, 2008 we were able to see the goodness of the Lord.”

The speakers tied their faith to a theme of activism and change for the upcoming year.-

Rev, O.J. Swanigan, pastor at the Greater Light MBC urged the audience to volunteer to spend time with young people.

“Young girls need women to come talk to them,” Swanigan said. He said the number of arrests for children ages 12-17 in Sacramento has reached 6,000 a year.-

“We need to help to change this.”

The group rose to sing the Negro national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and The Young Adult Choir of the Sacramento Metro Chapter of the GMWA sang two selections for the crowd.

After breakfast was served the audience watched a dance performance by Ascension.- The three dancers were dressed in all white and displayed the toned arms of highly trained performance artists. The crowd was on their feet cheering for the skilled young dancers who did an interpretation of the meaning of the bible.-Most of those in attendance were adults but there was a sprinkling of young people.- Tanisha Porter, 15, a member of the Greater Second Baptist Church in Woodland said, “This is my first time coming, I think it is really nice to honor Martin Luther King this way, so of course I will return next year.”-The Rev. Darryl B. Heath told the audience why they all got up early on a Saturday morning to attend this event.- He said they were “celebrating the reminder of a man who gave us a dream, and the man who gave us the fruition of that dream.”

Crystal Kirk can be reached at [email protected]