PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — After a delay of almost a month due to the January ice storms, Portland’s Vancouver Avenue Baptist Church hosted a Sunday service to honor Martin Luther King Jr. for his birthday.
This location holds a special significance to the local community as Dr. King spoke at that very same church in November 1961 as part of his trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Leading the “Empower the Dream” service was Rev. Dr. J.W. Matt Hennessee, the only godson of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. The event featured keynote speaker Dr. Jessica Taylor, the first Black female president of Multnomah University in Portland. They were joined by Portland politicians and city leaders, including Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.
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In addition to the speakers, the event featured choir performances, scholarship recipients and more.
Dr. Hennessee in particular has been very passionate about this service.