Join South Carolinians from every walk of life for the 2010 Statewide Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy on Monday, January 18, 2010. This historic day will begin with the Annual Prayer Service starting 8:30a.m. at Zion Baptist Church, 801 Washington Street, followed by the march to retire the Confederate Battle Flag and bring justice and dignity to all South Carolinians.

Ben Jealous, national president of the NAACP, will be the featured speaker at the rally.

This year’s event, held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will be the 10th rally. The first rally in 2000 drew roughly 50,000.

The NAACP is using the rally to call for the removal of the Confederate flag from State House grounds, changes in the state criminal justice system that disproportionately incarcerates African Americans and changes to how the state funds education, so poor school districts are provided more resources.

Dr. Lonnie Randolph, the S.C. NAACP’s state president, said the civil rights organization will also use the rally urge the state to raise its lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax and to urge South Carolina residents to be counted in this year’s Census. Randolph also said the rally would be used to urge South Carolinians to vote this year, with all members of the S.C. House up for election and eight constitutional seats, including governor and lieutenant governor, up for grabs.

“Let (politicians) know your support comes with a price,” Randolph said.

The Confederate flag was still perched upon the State House dome during the first rally in 2000. By summer, a compromise had been struck to move the flag from the dome to the

Soldiers’ Monument at the foot of the State House steps.

The NAACP wants the flag removed from State House grounds. It has continued an economic boycott of the state, one Randolph said is working.
He cited the Atlantic Coast Conference’s decision to move its postseason baseball tournament elsewhere after awarding it to Myrtle Beach. Randolph said the ACC, SEC and NCAA are still honoring the NAACP’s boycott and are not bringing events to South Carolina.

“Ten years later we have real good support,” Randolph said.
The prayer service  at Zion Baptist Church will feature Rev. Dr. Nelson B. Rivers, III and musical selections from the Lucas Sisters of Charity Baptist Church, North Charleston, SC.

Join leaders and members of faith, civic, social, fraternal and professional groups from across the South in the march to the State House in the tenth observance of King Day at the Dome.

The program at the State House will include various speakers on vital topics and musical performances.

For more information about these 2010 King Day at the Dome events, contact the South Carolina NAACP at (803) 754-4584.