City Commemorates Life Of Rev. King at Smalley Academy Program

Staff Reports

NEW BRITAIN – Led by the city’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), residents, students and community leaders celebrated the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday at the Smalley Academy.

The official city Commemoration for Martin Luther King was hosted by Jessica Angelo-Julien, the chair of the city Human Rights and Opportunities Commission.

Angelo-Julien welcomed attendees to the event with a theme of “Your Rights, My Rights, Our Rights, All Rights, Human Rights” that was keynoted by Marlo Greponne, the executive director of the Human Resources Agency, the city’s community action agency. The event was attended by a number of elected officials representing New Britain, including United States Representative Jahana Hayes (D-5), Sen. Rick Lopes (D-6) and Ald. Desiree Costa (R-AL)

Greponne played a recording of Rev. King’s own words from a 1964 speech at Saint Louis University in delivering a message of choosing love and a “commitment to each other” to achieve inclusion for all. “We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools,” Rev. King said. We are tied together in a single garment of destiny…”

“Power in a voice, power in a message,” Greponne said. “That cannot be quoted. That has to be lived. He spoke of the world as a neighborhood and he spoke of a commitment to each other. Achieving diversity and inclusion may require greater propensity to love our neighbor because of a direct relationship with out destinies.”

Keynote Speaker Marlo Greponne, Ph.D

“Power in a voice, power in a message,” Greponne said. “That cannot be quoted. That has to be lived. He spoke of the world as a neighborhood and he spoke of a commitment to each other. Achieving diversity and inclusion may require greater propensity to love our neighbor because of a direct relationship with out destinies.”

Greponne was joined during speaking program by Interim Police Chief Benjamin Murphy who was warmly greeted by the Smalley Academy audience for his remarks commemorating Rev. King.. Smalley is located in the North-Oak neighborhood where Murphy patrolled as a young officer.

The MLK observance has been held at Smalley in recent years. Past celebrations involved a small brunch event at a local restaurant followed by an outdoor event at the Martin Luther King Park on MLK Boulevard. Organizers have hoped that the new format would make the event more accessible to the public with the January event being held indoors.

Angelo-Julien said she was pleased with the turnout, especially after the previously year’s attendance depressed by COVID-19. She thanked the Consolidated School District of New Britain for the use of Smalley Academy Facilities. Students from New Britain High School led the ceremonies and sang the National Anthem and African American Anthem — “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. The HALS Academy Guitar Ensemble performed as part of the program and members of the city’s Ministerial Alliance gave recognition to the African American Club members at New Britain High.