By RACHEL BRANT

Staff writer

Martin Luther King Jr. Day may not be until Monday, Jan. 21., but Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Div-ision Keyport officials are starting the festivities a little early this year.

The NUWC Division Keyport Worklife Diversity Council is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration ceremony from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9 at the Naval Undersea Museum auditorium in Keyport. The public is welcome to attend the free event.

“We want to honor the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and keep the dream alive,” said Diane Jennings, NUWC Division Keyport spokeswoman. “We’re glad to always honor Dr. King and his message.”

Keyport has hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. event for the past 20 years and the crowd continues to grow year after year, according to Jennings.

“It started out as an internal event more than 20 years ago and now it draws about 100 to 200 people,” she said. “The crowd’s been growing the last few years.”

The theme of this year’s commemoration is “The Eternal Dream.” The keynote speaker is the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs Executive Director Rosalund Jenkins.

“This is an eternal fight for rights and equality so it is an eternal dream,” Jennings said. “That’s an enduring message.”

The 90-minute ceremony also includes music from Navy Band Northwest and local Keyport employees will provide song and dance in tribute.

“We have a very full program this year,” Jennings said. “It’s definitely a multimedia program.”

Local Keyport talent includes an employee performing a dance and another singing and leading songs during the Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration.

“Our program includes local talent,” Jennings said. “There’s a lot of local Keyport talent that goes into this celebration every year.”

She said it is important for NUWC Division Keyport to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day because diversity continues to be an issue in today’s society and people should take King’s message to heart.

“Our Navy is made up of people who bring diverse talent to their jobs,” she said. “To keep Dr. King’s message in our awareness makes Keyport a better place to work.”

For more information or to reserve seats for large groups, contact Jennings at (360) 396-2699.

Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration

Wednesday, Jan. 9

10-11:30 a.m.

Naval Undersea Museum auditorium

Free admission and parking