Cicero Town President Larry Dominick led the town’s fifth annual celebration marking the birthday of the late Civil Rights champion and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at ceremonies Thurs. Jan. 12. The keynote speaker was the Rev. Reggie Royal, pastor of Cicero’s Lifeline Church, and Kal Lwanga, senior executive assistant to President Dominick and one of the town’s highest ranking African American employees.

Last year’s commemoration featured a moving presentation by Secretary of State Jesse White and the year before by Cook County Circuit Court Judge the Honorable Lawrence Terrell. “We must express our gratitude to President Larry Dominick,” Pastor Royal told the gathering of about 100 observers. “It was President Dominick who initiated the first commemoration of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and we thank him for that.” Lawanga spoke about the perceptions that have been promoted against Cicero in past years, including referencing tensions that existed in the 1960s when King threatened to march through Cicero, but later abandoned the plan after signing a historic open housing act with then Mayor Richard J. Daley.