The Self Culture Club will kick off its annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration this weekend with a variety of events leading up to the Monday, Jan. 21 federal holiday that commemorates the civil rights icon.
The 28th annual MLK Banquet is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at the El Dorado Conference Center, 311 S. West Ave.
The event will feature a history-maker in keynote speaker Flora J. Gibson Simon, the first African-American female mayor of Dumas.
Dumas joined several other cities around the state — including El Dorado, Camden and Arkansas’ capital city — that recorded historical “firsts” in their mayoral races during the 2018 General Election.
Some cities are being led by first-time African-American mayors, while others, such as El Dorado and Dumas, voted African-American women into the mayor’s office.
El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer is also the first woman to serve as mayor of the city.
Simon, a retired educator, embodies many of the values and principles that were upheld by King.
With a personal mantra and belief that “anything worth doing is worth doing well,” Simon has said that she strives “to always do her very best,” an attitude and ethic that she has pledged to pour into her job as mayor of Dumas.
A Chicot County High School graduate, Simon holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, specializing in education administration and curriculum development.
She has earned additional hours of credit in adult education and the sciences and has worked in several capacities in the field of education, other specialized areas and community service.
From 1974 until 2009, Simon served as science instructor, adult Education director, GED chief administrator and literacy coordinator in the adult education program of the Dumas School District.
She has also worked for the Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.
With a passion for the development of human aptitude, Simon is involved in a number of other programs, organizations and services, including Desha County Single Parent Scholarship program, Desha Literacy Council and the Arkansas Baptist Congress of Christian Education.
She is Grand Worthy Matron of the Royal Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star PHA (Prince Hall affiliated).
Tickets for the MLK banquet are $25 and may be purchased from any member of the Self Culture Club. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are non-refundable.
For more information, call Vicky Dobson at 870-665-0339.
Parade and musical
The 30th annual MLK Parade is set for 2 p.m. Sunday.
One of the most highly anticipated MLK events in El Dorado, the parade routinely draws large crowds and features marching bands, dance groups, walking groups, floats, decorated vehicles, all paying tribute to King.
Lineup will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium, 100 W. Eighth.
The parade will proceed south on North West Avenue, west on Main and north on Washington to Memorial Stadium.
Following the parade at 6 p.m. will be a gospel musical at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1018 Wilson.
The event is free and open to the public.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].