Asheville’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association

Oralene Graves-Simmons

By Cathy Holt

Life’s most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?
– Martin Luther King, Jr.


Oralene Graves-Simmons, founder of Asheville’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Association, never would have guessed how big the annual Prayer Breakfast she hosts would become. Says Simmons, “When I look across Grove Park Inn and see the people gathered, I realize they are all there to honor Dr. King. There is such a powerful love energy there!”



The
prayer breakfasts began 26 years ago with the help of volunteers, at
the Montford Recreation Center. Simmons placed a little ad in the paper
and people came from all over the city despite the snowy weather. It
grew every year. A committee was selected representing churches,
schools, and colleges, to plan the celebration. By its fifth year, it
had moved into the Civic Center, where keynote speaker Shirley Chisholm
drew a crowd of nearly 2,000! That was the same year that King Day
became a national, state, and county holiday.


The mission of
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association, now in its sixth year of
nonprofit status, is to preserve and advance the legacy of Dr. King.
Besides the annual four-day celebration, this committee also placed a
six-foot bronze statue of Dr. King in the park which bears his name,
and plans events throughout the year. In the spring, a town hall
meeting to deal with race relations is planned, around the anniversary
of Dr. King’s death.



Participants in the annual MLK Peace Walk make their way up College Street for the afternoon rally at City/County Plaza. 

“The Prayer
Breakfast is one of the few events in Asheville that is truly
integrated — close to 50/50. Everyone is welcome there,” Simmons
observed. “It’s a great opportunity for us to reflect on how we got to
where we are today and express hope for the future of our community and
our country.”



The choir, this
year, is made up of ministers. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Joy
DeGruy-Leary, noted for her workshops on “Post-Traumatic Slave
Syndrome.” She is an assistant professor of social work at Portland
State University, and a dynamic speaker.



On Friday,
January 12, there will be a Youth Celebration beginning at 2p.m. at
Diana Wortham Theater. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards will be
presented to outstanding students who have exemplified the philosophy
of Dr. King through service to others. The awards will feature a
student performance art showcase in tribute to Dr. King, as well as a
quiz on his life. It’s free and open to the public.



On Sunday, most
churches in the community do a program in honor of Dr. King. On Monday,
January 15, the Annual Peace Walk begins with a gathering at 11:30a.m.
at St. James AME Zion Church on MLK Drive. The march, led by ministers
and elected officials, goes to City County Plaza. Speakers this year
will include Debbie Miles of the Center for Diversity Education at UNCA
and (probably) Darryl Hart. And on Monday night, there is a candlelight
service and awards presentations for humanitarian service, at First
Nazareth Baptist Church on Pine Street.



Simmons believes
that King did more than any other person to bring about social change
and further civil rights in this country. “He had the ability to reach
people of all races and faiths with his social change message,” she
said. She was a teenager during the civil rights movement, an ASCORE
member, and became the first African-American student at Mars Hill
College. She wanted quality education to be available for all, and for
change to happen in a nonviolent way, as espoused by Dr. King.



“There’s still
work for Americans to realize true equality,” Simmons says. “I want
leaders to say that we need to work together, not apart. It is
important that the community sets aside a day to reflect on King’s
vision, remembering that he was a man of peace. Laws are in place for
equality, but there are still challenges in employment, fair housing,
equal education, and the political system.”



“Dr. King would
be proud of our political, economic, and social progress — but there is
also rising crime, a large number of African-American men in prison,
the minority achievement gap in the schools, and lack of affordable
housing. We are also looking at the conditions of our homeless in
Asheville. We must educate our children. I want the youth to know about
the history of Civil Rights. We can’t rely on public schools to teach
it. I look forward to the day when African-American history is a
required subject in school, when the great African-American poets and
writers are studied. I see us becoming the ‘beloved community.’”



Participants from all over the city arrive at City/County Plaza despite the weather.

She acknowledges
the many friends and volunteers who make the celebration possible:
Willie Mae Brown, Ed Schell, Sandra Smith, Clara Jeeter of ABCCM, Dr.
Charles Moseley, Jackie Hallum, Mayor Terry Bellamy, County
Commissioner David Gantt, Betty Patterson of the county schools,
Phyllis Williams, Dr. Gene Rainey, Bob Smith of Community Relations,
Diana Tockes, Ken Jones (youth programs), Brenda Mills from the city,
Julie Nooe of Mars Hill College, and of course her son, Kyle Simmons.
“Many of these folks work throughout the year to put together the
Prayer Breakfast,” says Simmons. “We are close friends, we are all
working for the dream. The prayer breakfast starts the year off on a
high note of hope for our future.”



Simmons has been
honored with an award by Corettta King for her work to create the
national King holiday. She has also received awards from the Asheville
City Council, the Human Rights award from the Baha’I community, and the
most distinguished service award from Mars Hill College. WLOS
recognized her for her volunteer work during the King celebration. The
governor of North Carolina gave her an award too. But the award she
cherishes most is the one from Mrs. King.