This year’s celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Union County will have two featured speakers, one black and one white.

Modest Keenan, president of the Union County NAACP, said the featured speakers at Monday’s event will be the Rev. Robert Emory of First Baptist Church and last year’s speaker, the Rev. Dr. F. Erik Brooks. Previous celebrations had only one featured speaker, all of them black.

Keenan said the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebrations Committee decided to have a white speaker as well as a black one to help promote racial unity. He said Emory was selected because of his church’s efforts at community outreach.

“I think that in order for us to bring the community together we’ve got to work together,” he said. “Rev. Emory has been concerned about the problems in Chambertown and his church has initiated some community outreach programs to help people of all races. So we felt it appropriate to invite him to be one of our featured speakers.”

Emory said he was honored to be chosen to address the celebration ceremonies. He said his church has worked to meet the needs of all people in the community regardless of race.

“I consider it quite an honor,” he said. “I think it speaks well to the church’s ministry to the African-American community. We’ve tried to make them welcome in our fellowship.”

First Baptist’s outreach activities include its benevolence ministry, which provides food and clothing to the needy of all races. The church’s Wednesday night children’s program has a large influx of children of all races.

Dr. Brooks is a minister, author and educator who teaches at Georgia Southern University.

Keenan added that attorney Thom White will be the first white person to deliver the invocation at the celebration.

Others participating in the activities will be Keenan; Iris Rose, who will perform two musical selections; the Adult Choir of Corinth Baptist Church will also perform; welcoming and recognition of guests will be handled by Rose Keenan; the speakers will be introduced by master of ceremonies Dr. Lindsey E. Crumlin Jr.; Cathy Rodgers will present Martin Luther King Jr. scholarship information; and the Rev. Russell Sheppard of Mt. Rowell Baptist Church will deliver the benediction.

The celebration will be held at 6 p.m. at McBeth Baptist Church, 105 Lawson Ave.