Information in this collection was derived from functions of the Martin Luther King Holiday Commission in New Orleans. The bulk of the collection consists of minutes, meeting notices, meeting agendas and subcommittee reports and can be found in the series, Martin Luther King Executive Commission and Martin Luther King Subcommittees (folder 4, Box 2).

The Commission was developed to spearhead a city-wide celebration in observance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the philosophy he espoused. The Martin Luther King Holiday Commission of New Orleans is composed of an executive committee and several subcommittees.

The Papers in this collection are arranged according to the originator of the document whether it was a New Orleans Commission member, the Executive Commission, a subcommittee of the Commission, or an organization or agency working in conjunction with the Commission's city-wide planning.

The earliest papers in this collection were donated by Dr. Durrell Williams, former principal of Macarty Elementary School and current member of the MLK Executive Commission, (Box 1). Macarty Elementary School played an important role in the establishment of the King Parade in New Orleans and served as the parade's starting point. The school has since been torn down and reconstructed as the Martin Luther King School of Science and Technology, which was dedicated on January 17, 1996, as part of the Commission's holiday activites. Dr. Williams donated a photo album and program from one of Macarty school's community functions.

Many of the members of the Executive Committee of the Martin Luther King Holiday Commission are members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) as was Dr. King. A history of the founding of that organization in New Orleans was written by Martin Luther King Executive Commission member and SCLC member, C. Maxine Holtry Daniels and is included in this collection (folder 1, Box 2).

Prior to 1997 information for this collection was gathered by Valencia Hawkins, Coordinator of the African American Resource Center of the New Orleans Public Library. Hawkins began gathering the information in 1995, the year she joined the commission. In 1997 the Commission created and Archives and Preservation Subcommittee, which Hawkins chairs.

Folder 1

Dr. Durrell Williams
Program, Mayor's Award for Community Involvement, Louis B. Macarty School [1980], (1 item)
Photograph album, Mayor's Award for Community Involvement, Louis B. Macarty School [1980] ( 1 item)

United Teachers of New Orleans
Invitation to Choral Concert, [1997], (2 items)
Invitation to Choral Concert, [1998], (2 items)

National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Letter to Mrs. Lois Frances Ivey inviting her to be an honoree at
Bethune Recognition Luncheon, [1998], (1 item)

Liberty Bank
Liberty Torch Honorees, Invitation to the Awards Ceremony and ticket information, [1997], (1 item)

Rainbow Awards Academy
Letter to Lois Frances Ivey nominating her to receive the Rainbow Award [1997], ( 1 item)
Flyer announcing the Rainbow Awards Banquet, [1997], (1 item)

C. Maxine Holtry Daniels
History of the formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as recorded by C. Maxine Holtry Daniels. [1998], (1 item)

Mayor Marc Morial
Staff Assignments to Martin Luther King Holiday Commission, [1994], (1 item)

Folder 2

Martin Luther King Task Force
Meeting agenda, [1994], (1 item)
Schedule of meetings, [1994], (1 item)
Schedule of events, [1995], (1 item)

New Orleans Martin Luther King Commission
Mailing list of MLK Commission members, [1996], (1 item)

Essay/Speech Contest Subcommittee
Procedures and Proposal of the Martin Luther King Essay/Speech Contest [1995-1996], (1 item)

New Orleans Public Library Celebration
Report on MLK Holiday Celebration at NOPL [1997], (2 items).
Memo to Stacy Simms from Valencia Hawkins regarding NOPL's Martin Luther King Celebration
and the Dedication of the African American Resource Center along with invitation [1997], (2 items).
Memo to MLK Commission Members notifying them of the change in schedule of NOPL's King program [1995], (1 item).
Library subcommittee report, [1996], (2 items).
Program from library's MLK Celebration, [1998], (2 items).

Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church
Program for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service, [1997], (1 item)

Anheuser -Busch Companies and MLK Planning Commission
Invitation to a MLK holiday reception, [1994], ( 1 item)

Folder 3

Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission, Washington, D.C.
Library Kit, [1991], (16 items)

Folder 4

Martin Luther King Executive Committee

Notices for Commission and Subcommittee meetings, [1996-98], ( 6 items)
Agendas, Commission Meetings, [1995-1997], (7 items)
Schedule of MLK Holiday Events, [1995-1997], (5 items)
Schedule of MLK Holiday Event, [1998],* (1 item)
*archivist note, error on item reads 1988. Item stems from 1998 event
Minutes, Executive Committee Meeting, [1996-97], (2 items)
Minutes, Commission Meeting, [1995-96], (4 items)
Announcement, Planning Retreat [1997], (1 item)
Torchbearers Award Nomination Form [1998], ( 1 item)
Flyer, announcing Dr. King's birthday, march and rally [1996], (1 item)
Letter from Thelma French, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, to Executive Commission Members
announcing Glennis Scott, Sr. as City Liaison between the Commission and city employees. [ 1 item], 1996
Planning Retreat, Archives and Preservation Facilitators Packet [1 item], (no date)
Martin Luther King Economic Development Account [no date], (1 item)

Martin Luther King Subcommittees

Minutes, MLK March and Rally Subcommittee, [1995-96], (5 items)
Social Issues Committee Report [1995], ( 2 items)
Ethnic Committee [1995], (1 item)
Insurance Committee Report [ 1996], (1 item)
Ethnic/Social Committee [1996], (1 item)
Archives and Preservation Committee, Photographs, Martin Luther King Parade and Rally, [1998], (24 items)

Folder 5

Martin Luther King Holiday Commemorative Programs
Commemorative program, [1994], (1 item)
Commemorative program, [1996], (2 items)
Commemorative program, [1998], ( 1 item)

Back to the African American Resource Center

Back to Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Schedule of Events, 1999

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