Music, inspirational words and an expressed appreciation of a great American will be the order of the evening when Wilmington College again holds the community Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance Monday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. in Hugh G. Heiland Theatre on the college campus.

The event is free of charge and open to the public.

Music will be provided by a choral group from the Bible Missionary Baptist Church and hip hop artist Tronee Threat, while WC President Trevor Bates and several WC students and staff members will offer reflections on King’s legacy.

Threat is a rapper-songwriter, producer and performer. He was released early after serving 11 years of a 14-year prison term. He correlates his release with his purpose in life, which is to “rescind all false prophecies of failure spoken over the lives of marginalized people by crashing through glass ceilings and kicking through bolted doors of success.” Music is his way into the ears, hearts and minds of his audiences.

Also, artwork created by Clinton County elementary school students will be on display.

MLK Day at Wilmington College annually has a service component featured in honor of King’s memory. The Center for Service and Civic Engagement is hosting a sock and personal item drive for the entire week of Jan. 16 for which items will be donated to the Clinton County Homeless Shelter and Sugartree Ministries. On-campus donations will be collected outside of the Office of Diversity + Inclusion in the Pyle Center.