William Jewell College will host the Northland's 25th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration with a program beginning at 10 a.m. January 19 in John Gano Memorial Chapel on the college campus in Liberty, Mo. The program is free and the public is invited to attend; tickets or reservations are not required.

The 2008 celebration marks the 25th anniversary of the original Liberty Martin Luther King Day observance, and the 11th annual celebration to be held on the William Jewell College campus.

A panel of four speakers will explore "The Dream: No Longer Deferred." Panel members will include Dr. Robert Hill, Senior Minister, Community Christian Church, Kansas City, Mo.; Dr. Vernon Howard, Jr., Senior Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo.; Eileen Houston-Stewart, Trustee and alumna of William Jewell College; and Brittany Talley and Alyssa Emery, both William Jewell College students. The panel facilitator will be Dr. Gary Armstrong, Professor of Political Science at William Jewell.

In addition, campus and community leaders will be honored with the Martin Luther King, Jr. community service award. Recipients for 2008 include Fred Merrell, retired football coach and community activist; Joanie New, Liberty Alliance For Youth Inc.; Dr. Cynthia Green, William Jewell College Professor of Education; and Bethany Brown, William Jewell College student.

The program will also include a performance by the William Jewell College Concert Choir, the First Baptist Church of Liberty Gospel Choir, and a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by William Jewell College senior communication major Frank Ugochukwo.

A free public reception will be held immediately following the program in the White Atrium of the Yates-Gill College Union. For more information, contact Dr. Cecelia Robinson, (816) 415-7659.

Historic Downtown Liberty and Corbin Theatre will also be a part of the King Day celebration. They will collaborate on "A Martin Luther King Day Celebration: Readings and Music of the Movement," featuring Shelton Ponder and Lori (Houston) Tucker at the Corbin Theatre, 15 N. Water, Liberty. The performance begins at 7 p.m. January 19. Tickets are $10 and are available at By the Book on the Liberty Square or at the door.