People march along South Lewis Street in Glasgow toward First Baptist Church as part of a service honoring Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
(LUKE PIERCE/WCLU NEWS)
By LUKE C. PIERCE, WCLU News
GLASGOW — The pews of First Baptist Church were full on Monday as several people of all ethnicities gathered to celebrate the legacy of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The event began outside the Barren County Courthouse at noon with brief comments and a signing of “This Little Light of Mine,” followed by a march along downtown streets to the First Baptist Church.
The service Monday included fellowship, singing, preaching, comments from dignitaries, and a reciting of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Those speaking at the event included:
- Trevent Hayes, president of the Cave Area National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Keith Rowlett, moderator, Liberty District Association
- Henry Royse, mayor, City of Glasgow
- Jamie B. Byrd, Barren County Judge/Executive
- Gabe Pendleton, Barren District Judge
- John Alexander, Barren Circuit Judge
- Representative Steve Riley, 23rd District (Barren County), State Representative
- Congressman Brett Guthrie, Kentucky 2nd Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives
Representative Riley spoke on the sacrifices Dr. King made to serve people.
“All the things that he had to go through and yet to have the courage and strength to continue on and do the Lord’s work,” Riley said.
A number of other local elected officials were in attendance and were recognized for their service to the community.
Michael Rice, pastor of First Baptist, spoke to the elected officials present and reminded them of their duty to serve “the underserved” just as King did.
“Serve those who are not in a position to help themselves. That’s the life that Dr. King lived,” Rice said. “I would encourage all of our elected officials to be reminded that you are elected to serve.”
Mayor Royse spoke about the friends he made in 1964 when schools were integrated and students from Bunch School came to Liberty Street School. Royse also spoke on the legacy of his former 6th grade principal and former Glasgow mayor Luska Twyman – the first Black mayor in Kentucky. He served from 1968 to 1986.
Royse shared a quote from a newspaper interview where Twyman was asked, “what he hoped to achieve as the mayor of Glasgow.” Twyman reportedly responded by saying, “Helping the city of Glasgow prove to the world that Blacks and whites can live together in harmony. That’s what I want more than anything.”
Rev. James Buford, of Williamson Chapel CME Church in Nashville, preached the service.
The service, overall, lasted around three hours.
