The MLK march will begin promptly at 9:00 am. Participants will march together to the Gillioz Theater for a program that will celebrate our community through the arts. There will be an acknowledgment of the Springfield Public School (SPS) students who won the essay and art contests. The NAACP will be collecting outerwear donations (hats, gloves, scarves, etc.) for SPS students at the ice park and at the Gillioz Theater. The MLK March will be celebrating 50 years. The Springfield NAACP chapter will be honoring the 3 men who started the march — Denny Whayne, Calvin Allen and Jerry D. Johnson (deceased). The Gillioz Theatre will also be recognized for its long history and acknowledgment of a Black usher and his wife (The Coopers) who served the theatre during segregation and currently today.
Springfield’s Black History Summer Academy Empowers Youth and Celebrates Community
By Samuel Knox, UniteNews Staff Writer For over two decades, Springfield’s Black History Summer Academy has been a beacon of education and empowerment, offering a