President Laurie A. Carter has been invited to be the guest speaker at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the State Capitol rotunda in Madison on Jan. 16. It will be broadcast live at noon on Wisconsin Public Radio and on the PBS Wisconsin website. A one-hour highlights program from the event will then air on PBS Wisconsin at 9 that night.
Produced and directed by WPR’s Dr. Jonathan Øverby, the 42nd annual Tribute and Ceremony is the official state ceremony, and the oldest official MLK Day state celebration in the United States.
This year’s theme is “Let Justice Rule.” In addition to President Carter, guests include Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra conducted by Andrew Sewell, Fountain of Life Praise Band, Brown Sisters Gospel Quartet, Prince Hall Masonic Honor Guard, and Kalaanjali Dance Company.
“We come together to honor King’s birthday and his legacy of service,” Øverby said. “We pay homage to the memories of those who paid the ultimate price in the pursuit of justice, freedom, and equality during the Civil Rights Movement. This event is grounded in the very core of what it means to celebrate freedom not just for some, but for all.”
The event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. People throughout the state can listen live on all WPR stations and at wpr.org. PBS Wisconsin will also carry the event live at pbswisconsin.org and broadcast a one-hour highlight program at 9 p.m.