By WaTasha Griffin and the Martin Luther King Dream Team—
MUNCIE, IN—The Martin Luther King Dream Team hosted its Annual Black History Month Kickoff Event on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at the Minnetrista Museum & Gardens in Muncie, Indiana. The event, which brought the community together for a day of celebration and reflection, included a complimentary breakfast and musical performances by Mr. Isaac Denniston and the Northside Middle School Choir.
Northside Middle School choir performs at Minnetrista. Photo provided.
A key highlight of the event was the Muncie NAACP Youth Council’s tribute to Outstanding Black Women of Muncie. Oratorical biographies were presented honoring local trailblazers such as Bea Moten Foster, Mary Dollison, and Joan Lawson. These women’s legacies were celebrated as part of the program’s focus on the powerful impact of Black women on both local and national movements.
MLK 2025 Essay Contest Winners Announced
The MLK 2025 Essay Contest, with the theme “Centering Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement,” recognized exceptional essays by students from Muncie area schools. The winners of the 2025 contest are:
Elementary Division
- 3rd Place: MarSadie’ Whiting, Longfellow Elementary School, 4th Grade (Teacher: Jamie Brimbury) – Essay Topic: Harriet Tubman
- 2nd Place: Parker Clegg, Burris Laboratory School, 5th Grade (Teacher: Becky Juday) – Essay Topic: Maya Moore
- 1st Place: Helen Fan, Burris Laboratory School, 5th Grade (Teacher: Becky Juday) – Essay Topic: Misty Copeland
Middle School Division
- 3rd Place: Kadience Hobbs, Southside Middle School, 6th Grade (Teacher: Monica Welcher) – Essay Topic: Katherine Johnson
- 2nd Place: Abigail Willis, Burris Laboratory School, 8th Grade (Teacher: Eli Jones) – Essay Topic: Dorothy Height
- 1st Place: Averie M. Pegues, Burris Laboratory School, 8th Grade (Teachers: Rob Jones & Alivia Pello) – Essay Topic: Claudette Colvin
High School Division
- 3rd Place: Chloe Reed, Burris Laboratory School, 10th Grade (Teacher: Shon Byrum) – Essay Topic: Sonia Sanchez
- 2nd Place: Mya Trammell, Burris Laboratory School, 11th Grade (Teacher: Shon Byrum) – Essay Topic: Sojourner Truth
- 1st Place: Makayla Gipson, Muncie Central High School, 9th Grade (Teacher: Morgan Leckie) – Essay Topic: Sojourner Truth
Northwest Bank generously provided cash prizes to all essay contest winners. The first-place winners were also invited to recite their essays at the Muncie City Council meeting on Monday, February 3, 2025.
Each year the MLK student essay contests are popular with students. Photo provided.
2025 James P. & Marilyn Carey Community Service Awards
The event also honored the 2025 recipients of the prestigious James P. & Marilyn Carey Community Service Awards. These awards are presented annually to individuals and organizations in the Muncie community who have exemplified the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The 2025 recipients include:
- Belinda King
- Rhonda Ward
- Johnny Strong
- Juneteenth Muncie
- Indiana Black Expo – Muncie Chapter
- Muncie Public Library
Silent Auction & “I Have a Dream” Community Collaboration Scholarship
The event featured a silent auction, with proceeds supporting the “I Have a Dream” Community Collaboration Scholarship. The scholarship, aimed at providing financial assistance to local high school seniors, is a joint initiative supported by the Concerned Clergy of Muncie, Future Choices, Inc., Muncie Black Expo, MLK Dream Team, Muncie-Delaware County Black Chamber of Commerce, and Muncie NAACP. Each spring, two Delaware County high school students are selected to receive the scholarship. Interested seniors can apply through their school’s guidance office.
Upcoming Black History Month Events in Delaware County
In addition to the kickoff event, the MLK Dream Team and community partners have planned a variety of activities throughout February to celebrate Black History Month:
- Black History Month Food Drive: February 1 – 28, 2025. In partnership with Muncie Sanitary District, MLK Dream Team. Donations will benefit school pantries and Christian Ministries of Muncie. Donations can be made at Muncie Community School sites and Burris Laboratory. Financial donations can be made at www.mlkdreamteam.org.
- February 14, 2025: Black History Month Concert at Northside Middle School
- February 21, 2025: Black History Month Concert at Southside Middle School
- February 22, 2025: Black History Month Women’s Luncheon at YWCA Central Indiana
- February 27, 2025: Black History Month Concert at Central High School – The Journey to Freedom
Additionally, the exhibition Journey to Freedom: Indiana Connections to the Underground Railroad will be on display at various locations throughout February:
- Ivy Tech (February 6 – 28, 2025)
- Ball State University Multicultural Center (February 10 – 14, 2025)
- YWCA Community Room (February 26 – March 3, 2025)
For more information on these events, please visit the MLK Dream Team website.
