Coming after Georgia’s history-making elections and also after an attack on the national Capitol by a reactionary mob, Statesboro’s unique 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Day drive-in observance sounded notes of unity and progress but also of continued struggle.

More than 100 vehicles, with spaces left between, occupied a parking area near Splash in the Boro at Mill Creek Regional Park beginning around 6 p.m. Monday. As people arrived, organizers distributed more than 200 individual free tickets for meals dispensed from food trucks stationed on either side of temporary drive-in.

A big, inflatable screen carried images of some of the speakers, with some technical difficulties at first.  Other speakers, and musical performers, appeared in-person on stage, and in addition to the loudspeakers, a low-power FM signal carried the audio successfully to vehicle radios tuned to a certain frequency.

Statesboro District 2 Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Paulette Chavers served as master of ceremonies. The event, she said, was meant to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “audacious acts” as well as his life.

“One of my most favorite quotes by Martin Luther King  is,  ‘The time is always right to do something right,’ so I admonish everyone here, all  the leaders, all the dignitaries, everyone sitting out in the parking lot, remember to do what is  right,” Chavers said. “Do what is right by your neighbors. Do what is right by your friends. Do what is right by your community.”

The drive-in observance stood in for both the traditional MLK Day Parade through downtown Statesboro and the indoor community service, which most years fills a church sanctuary to capacity in the afternoon.

In fact this was that community service, organized annually by the Bulloch County Branch of the NAACP, but moved outdoors and into the evening.

James Weldon  Johnson’s circa 1900 “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” dubbed the “Black National Anthem,” by the NAACP more  than  a century ago, figured  more prominently in this year’s observance, where it was heard twice in different forms. First, a traditional rendition at hymnal pace signaled that the observance was beginning after The Impact Band had performed contemporary songs as a musical prelude.

After Chavers’ introduction, Rabbi Steve Henkin, of  Congregation Agudath Achim, the Conservative synagogue in Savannah,  delivered a meditation virtually, reciting  a brief passage of scripture first in Hebrew and  then in English.

Although King carried forward a struggle focused largely on equal rights, equal rights alone cannot be the end  goal, the rabbi said.

“Indeed, Dr. King’s dream wasn’t that his children would be the same as everyone else, it’s that they would be judged on the content of their character, not the color of their skin. …,” Henkin said. “Diversity in opinion, diversity in culture and  diversity in world view is what makes  a community better by forcing us to re-evaluate who we are and  what we believe.”

It was a rare appearance by a Jewish faith leader at an MLK Day program here and came two weeks after the election both of Georgia’s first African-American U.S. senator-to-be, the Rev.  Raphael Warnock, and a Jewish senator-to-be, Jon Ossoff.  Henkin didn’t mention this, but some other participants did.

‘A difficult year’

Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar, who attended in-person, was the first of four dignitaries to give spoken greetings.

“2020 has been a difficult year,” he said. “It’s been a year when we’ve seen a fight for social justice continue …, where our world has been affected by a global pandemic,” he said. “But with all of those things we’ve all come to realize that we are stronger together, and that’s the message that we want to send to our city, to our county and to our state and nation.”

Bulloch County Board of Commissioners Chair Roy Thompson, NAACP National President and CEO Derrick Johnson and Georgia State Conference NAACP President James Woodall delivered their greetings virtually.

‘Righteous indignation’

Woodall, a minister who graduated from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro before going on to the Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, greeted association members and supporters as “Freedom Fighters.”

“In this current moment we are in a fight where so many face challenges that literally could take the very life from their bodies, from inhumane poverty and war to systematic racism, COVID-19, white supremacy and  even a seditious attempt to overthrow the United States government by so-called patriots," Woodall said. “As Dr. King once said, the hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral remain silent in times of great moral conflict.”

Woodall expressed “righteous indignation for those who call for unity and peace while simultaneously ignoring the very real travesties of violence and injustice.”

But he also called for prayerful hope for the future.

After the welcoming remarks, Vivian Summers, Robin Wooten-Lanier and David Sharpe, appearing in-person on stage, harmonized on an extended, jazzier version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Tapping of vehicle horns took the place of applause during the drive-in event, and this performance prompted a car-horn ovation.

Stacy Smallwood, Ph.D., one of the leaders in Bulloch County Beloved Community, which takes its name from a goal King popularized, recited the poem, “Praise Song for the Day,” by Elizabeth Alexander.

Barbershop voter drive

Bulloch County NAACP President Delinda Gaskins presented special recognition awards to six barbers from five local barbershops for their work in a voter-registration drive, dubbed “Black Friday,” for the November general election.

Those saluted were Willie Reddick and Clifton Walker of Precise Kutz, Stephen Brockett of Master Den II, Terry Lamonte of Heavenly Pleasures Barbershop, Jamie Edenfield of The Perfect Image and Demetrius Houston of D-Side Barbershop.

“They really took to heart the need for our voices to be heard, … that we had the opportunity to make a difference in our community. …,” Gaskins said.  “We saw that our voices were heard.”

The NAACP, as an organization, does not endorse candidates, but it has always stated policy goals and often conducts voter education and registration drives.

Gaskins presented NAACP President’s Awards to John Robinson, Michael Summers, the Rev. Donald Chavers Jr. and Bill Garner for their work in the local organization.

Johnson’s message

The Rev. Francys Johnson, Statesboro-based attorney and area Baptist minister who previously served as Georgia State Conference NAACP president, spoke for a swearing-in of the 2021 Bulloch County NAACP executive board, including Gaskins as president, Vice President John Robinson, Secretary Sophia Johnson, Treasurer Karen Nunnally, Assistant Treasurer LeAnne Robinson and Member-at-Large Dr. Alexander Smith Jr.

Johnson cited the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol in Washington, and of the need to secure it and state capitols with National Guard troops for the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, as evidence of continued reactionary violence by white supremacists.

“We know that white supremacy is a lie, that racism is a sin and that discrimination is an abomination before God,” Johnson said. “White supremacy will die, and these are the men and women who will kill it in Bulloch County. Give these men and women, these courageous men and women, your approbation, give them your affirmation, so they will stand and speak to powerful people on our behalf.”

Bishop Timothy Clarke, senior pastor of First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio, and prelate of the Berean Fellowship of Churches, appeared on the screen as virtual keynote speaker. He centered his remarks on the question posed by King’s final book, “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”