To commemorate the work of the late activist Martin Luther King Jr., the Ypsilanti District Library (YDL) will celebrate his life with “All Lives Stand Up." Taking place Sunday, Jan. 14, this free event will run from 2-3:30 p.m. at the branch on Whittaker Rd. in the community room.
This concert program welcomes all ages and will feature live original jazz music. One of the performers includes Sean Dobbins, a drummer from Southeast Michigan and educator at Oakland University and the University of Michigan.
Helping run "All Lives Stand Up" is YDL staff member Paula Drummond, who hopes community members will enjoy this reflection.
"By the choice of songs and the timing of this event, we hope that our community will be reminded of the significance of both Dr. King's work and his impact on our society. All of us can benefit from reflecting on these fundamental truths,” Drummond said.
This is not the only time that the YDL has held a concert centered around the celebration of topics. Drummond said the library offers concerts every year through a series called "Take Note." The inclusion of "All Lives Stand Up" into the series started in 2023.
Like many events at YDL, "All Lives Stand Up" was sponsored by Friends of Ypsilanti District Library, a non-profit membership-based organization that raises thousands of dollars in support of the library.
"Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Ypsilanti District Library, we were able to allocate funds for this event, which our community very much appreciated from the feedback we got last year," Drummond said.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired many people, not the least musicians expressing the fundamental truths of freedom, equality and compassion,” YDL said in their program.
To learn more about this and other future events at the library, visit their website and Instagram.
