Two weeks before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I used Google to learn what was happening in Northampton. I wondered if the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day program would be in-person this year. Although I’ve largely avoided large audiences, fearing Covid, in these dark days, I needed to be inspired by Dr. King’s indefatigable hope. I was dismayed when Google turned up nothing in Northampton. With so many fascists leading Congress, who can’t see past their greed and lust for power, who prey on those who don’t worship at the altar of patriarchy, more than ever we all need to recommit to standing for justice. Martin Luther King Jr. Day would afford our community that opportunity, but alas, after 38 years of bringing people together to celebrate the man who had a dream, this year there would be no Martin Luther King Day Jr. celebration in Northampton.

I needed to know why, so I asked Rev. Andrea Ayvazian. Andrea spent many hours with her dear friend, the late Frances Crowe, in Frances’ basement office, where she ran the American Friends Service Committee. There they gave birth the first community celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Though it started as a modest gathering, it wasn’t long before crowds filled the First Churches’ sanctuary to hear keynote speakers call their audiences to action; to belt out songs of freedom; to nourish their souls with lessons from Dr. King’s legacy, and dance to the rhythms of musicians like The Bamidele Dancers and Drummers. Andrea’s son, Sasha, grew up on this, along with so many of our children, including my own daughter.

Several days later, at Andrea’s suggestion, I climbed the stairs to the Special Collections section of the Smith College Library, and asked to see Frances Crowe’s MLK Day files, in order to learn more about the celebration’s history. I pulled out the annual printed programs, planning notes scrawled on legal pads, newspaper coverage, and a colored child-like drawing of a statue of MLK flanked between two trees, a sunshine glowing in the corner, the words, “I have a dream,” emanating from a bubble.

I noted the 25-year growth of the event, observing news of locations added, including special family programs at Jackson Street School, followed by afternoon events at the Academy of Music and the Calvin Theater. The long lists of MLK Day sponsors recalled defunct local businesses like The Globe Bookshop and Pleasant Street Video. Perhaps most impressive was how a group of local residents, organized this annual celebration that in addition to its distinguished speakers, centered young people engaged in music, theater, and dance, all for a “ … celebration to increase our awareness of the dedication and progress toward racial unity enhanced by the life of Martin Luther King Jr.” (The Pioneer Valley Force for Racial Unity)

Jeff Napolitano took over as AFSC’s director and began organizing Northampton’s MLK Day program in 2009, honoring Dr. King’s focus on a plethora of oppressions, from economic justice to immigration. Various incarnations of MLK Day incorporated a Sojourner Truth walking tour, as well as Jo Comerford’s play, “Freedom in the Air,” and a youth art production. The convocation, which focused on Dr. King’s legacy, moved to Edwards Church, but also included various workshops at downtown locations, many organized by local non-profits. The call to honor Dr. King’s legacy through a day of community service, with the goal of engaging people in ongoing volunteer work, became a hallmark of MLK Day. Jeff’s dream encompassed a program to “teach us about sustaining and growing collaborations … beyond one particular day.”

“Land justice here fosters justice everywhere,” was the theme of last year’s fully virtual MLK event, which featured speakers, an African-American history walking tour of Florence, and poetry. Today, after 38 years, there is no 2023 MLK Day celebration. With the closing of AFSC and The Resistance Center, a team of volunteers led last year’s Herculean planning effort. Myra Lam, last year’s MC and main organizer explained: “It wasn’t like there was a decision not to hold an MLK Day … folks run out of bandwidth. Traditions get lost that way.” Yet Avery J, chair of last year’s planning committee, is optimistic. “There are resources and institutional knowledge we can bring.” He’s hoping organizations will step forward to lend financial support, as well as additional volunteers. Interested? Contact: Avery@theresistancecenter.org.

The time to start planning is now. What role might the City of Northampton or the Human Rights Commission play? How can we all help create the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration?

If you’re reading this with your morning cup of coffee, head over to the MassMutual Center for Springfield’s annual Dr. King Day celebration from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. The livestream event can be watched on the home page of Community Music School of Springfield and Focus Springfield’s websites.

Also today, Self-Evident Education and the Collaborative for Educational Services will partner to present “Writing Wrongs: In the Shadow of the Dream, A Community Discussion” at Edwards Church in Northampton. The event will center on Ousmane Power-Greene’s debut novel, “The Confessions of Matthew Strong.”

Thanks to Andrea Ayvazian, Jeff Napolitano, Merri Ansara, and Avery J for providing me with so much history and inspiration.

Sara Weinberger of Easthampton is a professor emerita of social work and writes a monthly column. She can be reached at columnists@gazettenet.com.

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