Elkhart Black Expo hosts MLK Celebration on January 17

David Robinson, Emorja Roberson. Photo courtesy: Elkhart Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo

EKLHART, Ind. – The Elkhart Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo is hosting its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Monday beginning at 10 a.m.

Participants are encouraged to meet at the Civic Plaza at 9:15 a.m. for the 9:30 a.m. march to Community Missionary Baptist Church, located at 228 Chapman Avenue in Elkhart.

The program will start at the church at 10 a.m. Face masks are required.

A lunch for the youth will be served at the Tolson Center and a lunch for the adults will be served at the church right after the program.

This year’s keynote speaker is Emorja Roberson. Roberson received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Florida and a Master of Sacred Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Notre Dame.

Roberson hosted Notre Dame’s first Black History Month concert as a doctoral student and was the first African American student in the Doctor of Musical Arts program to study Choral Conducting with a focus in African American repertoire.

His compositions, “I Need Your Presence” and “Lord, I Am Grateful” were debuted by the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in 2018. He also finished in the top 20 on season nine of the BET Sunday Best competition in 2019.

Roberson is the Director of Voices of Faith Gospel Choir and the Founder/Host for Black@ND.

The Ben Barnes Community Service Award will be presented posthumously to David Robinson for his service to Elkhart youth.

Visit the organization’s Facebook page for more information.