The Apollo and WNYC presented the 18th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration, programmed as part of The Apollo’s Uptown Hall series, on Sunday, January 14 at 2pm. This annual co-production between two of New York City’s leading media and cultural institutions had become the city’s signature event commemorating the political, cultural, and social legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year’s event, “The Inconvenient King,” examined the history of the word woke in the context of Dr. King’s work to build awareness, action, and urgency around injustice and discrimination. The afternoon was co-hosted by WNYC hosts Kai Wright (Notes from America) and Michael Hill (Morning Edition). WQXR’s Terrance McKnight, host of the podcast Every Voice, served as Master of Ceremonies.
The day’s guests included:
- Jonathan Eig, author of the critically-acclaimed biography King: A Life
- Juliet Hooker, Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University and author of Black Grief/White Grievance: The Politics of Loss
- Maimouna “Mumu Fresh” Youssef, Grammy-nominated Afro-Indigenous singer, songwriter, and activist
- Alvin Singh, great-great nephew of Lead Belly and producer of the documentary Lead Belly: The Man Invented Rock & Roll
- Rahiel Tesfamariam, activist minister and founder of Urban Cusp
In addition, the event featured a taped interview with WNYC host Brian Lehrer speaking to Leah and Richard Rothstein, co-authors of Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law.
LaFontaine E. Oliver, President and CEO of New York Public Radio; Fatima Jones, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the Apollo; and Isisara Bey, Artistic Director of March on Washington Film Festival, gave opening remarks.
