Aurora residents honor and observe American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. well before and beyond the third Monday of every January.
For 31 years, the city has sanctioned a week of thematic events on race relations, nonviolent activism, youth empowerment and civil rights history before the holiday to preview the state’s annual and motorcade, which draws tens of thousands of people to march to the center of Denver.
For many residents living in one of one of the most racially diverse cities in the nation, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just an annual reminder of an ongoing pledge to continue the progress of an integrated and accepting society.
“I think having conversations around Martin Luther King Day is important, I think having conversations around Black History Month in February is important, and I think having conversations year round about race is important. I don’t think it should be focused on just a day or just a week or just a month,” said Mauritha Hughes, 49, who has lived in Aurora for 20 years. “I think that because Aurora is very diverse, we need to intentionally reach out to people who are different from us and get to know them as well as let them get to know us.”
Hughes and her husband attended a forum on race and internal bias held in the city last week. In Aurora, the week or two of celebrations that happen every year before Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a tradition that goes back to the formation of a state commission to honor King’s legacy.
Richard Lamm, who served as governor of Colorado from 1975 to 1987, authorized the all-volunteer in 1985.
“There must have been 100 of us on that commission; almost anybody you can think of — pastors, agencies, performers. At the time, I was chair of the Aurora Human Relations Commission, and so I was also appointed to it,” said Barbara Shannon-Bannister, chief of Aurora’s community relations division.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission was under the direction of former state Rep. Wilma Webb, who was integral in establishing the weeklong series of events to celebrate the holiday.
“Wilma said to us after we had the first commemoration in 1986 in Denver, ‘go back to your own town and recreate this.’ And I went home to Aurora a recreated it 31 years ago,” Shannon-Bannister said. “The city embraced it and gave me their blessings and support. Here we are now, decades later, holding wonderful presentations and discussions and forums and workshops. Anyone can find something anywhere in the city to celebrate Dr. King during this time.”
Vern Howard is an Aurora resident and has served as chair of the Martin Luther King Marade for the last 20 years as well as chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission for 17 years.
“We have Martin Luther King events in Aurora and throughout the state all year, not just in January,” Howard said. “The reason for that is because Dr. King spoke and wrote over two million words that resonate with so many different people from so many different walks of life. You can’t just summarize that lifetime and legacy and the message that Dr. King delivered in one day.”
Among those are the , held annually between February and April, the Humanitarian Awards in January, Thanksgiving food drives and the annual .
Aurora nonprofit worker, Tirzah Stein, 30, also attended events last week previewing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“I personally feel very passionate about racial justice at all times of the year,” Stein said. “I think that it’s great what the city does to bring the community together around Martin Luther King Day, but what I would like to see happen is that it’s not just an event, it’s not just a holiday that brings people to these conversations, because I think it should be every day and incorporated into our everyday lives.”
And for the last seven years at Aurora Public Schools, administrators have organized the , a series of motivational lectures for students during the spring that have included speakers such as Anthony Chavez, Cesar Chavez’s grandson.
The season begins with the anniversary of Mohandas Gandhi’s assassination on Jan. 30 and ends with the anniversary of King’s assassination, April 4.
“Here in Aurora where our community is so richly diverse, we really do need to celebrate not just Dr. King, but all of our ethnic social justice fighters and let our kids know, as often as possible, that the fight is still relevant,” said Debi Hunter-Holan, Aurora Public Schools community engagement advocate and former city councilwoman.
“Martin Luther King is a staple in our world. He stood for so much; peace, social justice, equity for all,” said Barbara Chapman, Aurora Public Schools program manager. “Because we are very diverse in our community, I believe that our students must understand why it’s important to fight for that social justice and that equality. Our youth will carry that torch, and we have to show them how more than once a year.”