FANWOOD/SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- As part of the co-hosted series of programming, “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle,” the Fanwood Memorial Library and the Scotch Plains Public Library will celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. as local actor and historian Marvin Jefferson portrays King through first-person historical characterization. This program will be held at the Fanwood Memorial Library on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. A Q & A session will follow the presentation.
Dr. Martin Luther King is one of the most celebrated African-Americans of the 20th century and was known best as a leader in the U.S. Civil Rights movement. A clergyman, activist and humanitarian, King’s honors include the Nobel Peace Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal.
Marvin Jefferson has been building a national reputation for his portrayals of MLK Jr., Paul Robeson, and William Clark’s slave, York, over the past couple of decades. His appearances include performances at both the Nevada and Ohio Chautauqua festivals. He returns to the Fanwood Memorial Library by popular demand after last year’s standout presentation as Paul Robeson. Marvin currently teaches acting at Bloomfield College and studied at the Mason Gross School of Arts, Rutgers University.
Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle is made possible through a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This series is also supported in part by the Friends groups of both the Fanwood Memorial Library and the Scotch Plains Public Library.
More information about the series can be found at www.thejointlibrary.org/createdequal or on the libraries’ websites www.fanwoodlibrary.org or www.scotlib.org. All are welcome to these free events. To register, contact either library: 908-322-6400 (Fanwood) or 908-322-5007 (Scotch Plains).
