10 Anne Arundel County Residents Honored with MLK Jr. Award

Nearly 46 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, his influence lives on in Anne Arundel County through the dedicated work of local community members, and the upcoming awards dinner hosted by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee recognizes these achievements.

On Friday, Jan. 16, ten members of the Anne Arundel County community will receive awards for their contributions at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner, held at 6 p.m. at Glen Burnie’s La Fountaine Bleue.

Then-alderman Carl O. Snowden founded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner in 1988 with the idea to honor Anne Arundel County community members whose work and actions reflect the mission of Dr. King’s legacy. Now in its 27th year, the annual awards ceremony continues to recognize and inspire community action toward civil rights.

Those honored with a 2015 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. award are:

• Rhonda Pindell Charles, Esquire -- Morris H. Blum Humanitarian Award
• Bishop Douglas I. Miles -- Courageous Leadership Award
• Carl Owens -- We Share the Dream Award
• Dr. Larry W. Blum -- Drum Major Award
• Jeffery S. Blum -- Drum Major Award
• Reverend Dr. Carletta Allen -- Dream Keepers Award
• Howard Zeiderman -- Peace Keeper Award
• Miriam Stanicic -- Drum Major Award
• Monzy Faulkner -- Drum Major Award
• Ramocille Solenza Cooper Johnson -- Drum Major Award

Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy Vice Admiral Walter Carter Jr. will be this year’s keynote speaker, and the Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform orchestral arrangements of Ray Charles and James Brown songs.

Ticketholders who reserve their seating before Jan. 6 will receive two free tickets to a screening of Selma on Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Baltimore. Selma depicts the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., when Dr. King campaigned for equal voting rights. To confirm receiving the passes, call 301-904-3690.

Tickets to the awards dinner are $60 for standard seating and $100 for VIP premium seating and a private reception prior to the ceremony. Purchase tickets by phone at 410-760-4115 or by mail to MLK Jr. Committee, PO Box 371, Annapolis, MD 21404.

See Also:

• ‘Selma’ Film Review and Interview
• Annapolis Plans First Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade

Pictured on left: Drum Major award winner Miriam Stanicic; Pictured on right: Keynote speaker Admiral Walter Carter, Jr.; Portrait of Wesley Brown, first African American to graduate from Naval Academy in 1949. Photo courtesy of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee.

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