This year there are several events and activities scheduled forthe community to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday.The Alexander High School Band Alumni, the O Foundation, Alpha PhiAlpha Fraternity, Inc., and all other Greek lettered organizationsare sponsoring events.

The Alexander High School Band Alumni Association is sponsoringa tribute dinner in honor of Mrs. Mae Robinson Brown on Saturday atthe Lincoln County Multi-Purpose Building.

The O Foundation is sponsoring a Martin Luther King Parade onSunday starting at the downtown Brookhaven Post Office. The line upis at 4:30 p.m. The parade route will travel Chickasaw Street,Monticello Street, First Street, Main Street, Martin Luther KingDrive, Beauregard Street and end at Alexander High School for theannual King Celebration.

At the conclusion of the parade, the Mu Pi Lambda Chapter ofAlpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will sponsor the Annual 2008Martin Luther King, Jr. Program at 6 p.m. This year’s keynotespeaker will be the Rev. Dr. Phillip R. Hamilton, Sr. of Mount WadeBaptist Church.

Hamilton is the youngest of 16 children born to Deacon and Mrs.Dillard H. Hamilton of Sylverena. He is married to the formerZandra Ann Denice Moody of Gulfport, and they are the proud parentsof two children, Alex’Zandra Patrice and Phillip Randolph, II.

Hamilton is a graduate of Raleigh High School in Raleigh. Hecontinued his secular education at Jones County Junior College,Southwest Mississippi Community College and The University ofSouthern Mississippi. After accepting God’s calling upon his life,Hamilton was licensed and later ordained by the Hopewell MissionaryBaptist Church, which was under the leadership of the Rev. ClaudeA. Tucker. Hamilton received his theological education at theMississippi Baptist seminary in Jackson; The 4th District Collegeof Christian Education, Jackson; and The A.P. Clay Bible College,Kenner, La., where in 2002 he received his Doctoral Degree.

Hamilton is a member of numerous Christian and communityorganizations, including The National Baptist Convention, USA; theLincoln Interdenominational Ministers Association; WHW ExpositoryPreaching and Church Growth Conference; The Alexander Jr. HighSchool Principal’s Advisory Board and the Brookhaven SchoolDistrict Behavioral Committee. He is the former AdministrativeDirector of the A.P. Clay Theological College.

Currently, Hamilton serves as a certified instructor of The 4thDistrict College of Christian Education; Dean of Students andsenior instructor at The A.P. Clay Theological College, Brookhavencampus and Chaplain for the Brookhaven Police Department. Hamiltonis employed by the Brookhaven School District, where he workstirelessly to make a difference in the lives of our youth on adaily basis.

Hamilton is the pastor of the Mount Wade Baptist Church ofBrookhaven. Under his spiritual leadership, the church is committedto ministering to the total needs of man.

The ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta SigmaTheta Sorority, Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the AlcornState Alumni Association and the O Foundation are sponsoring areception immediately following the program.

We look forward to having the community join us in this year’scelebrations. The theme for the program will be “A Dream: Today,Tomorrow, and Beyond.”