Sleeping Through a Great Revolution

"Sleeping Through a Great Revolution" to be keynote address of Jan. 13th celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Sleeping Through a Great Revolution" will be the keynote address Thursday (Jan. 13) at a community celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Open to the public, the free 7 p.m. program will be held at West Virginia University at Parkersburg in the college's multi-purpose room.

The celebration is co-sponsored by DuPont Washington Works and WVU Parkersburg.

Keynote speaker will be Joseph Bundy, founder and artistic director of the Afro-Appalachian Performance Company.

The program will also feature performances by the Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus.

Bundy is an actor, writer and humanities scholar. He has been active in the arts in West Virginia and the mid-Appalachian region for several years. As a dramatist, Bundy has directed and performed in numerous plays for the Afro-Appalachian Performance Company and has been a guest artist for various theatrical groups.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus

He is known for his Chautauqua impersonations of James Weldon Johnson, Booker T. Washington, Martin R. Delany, A. Phillip Randolph and others. Bundy was selected by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission as one of five to receive the 2010 “Living the Dream Human and Civil Rights Award.” The Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus includes approximately 40 men, both clergy and lay leaders, from 26 denominationally diverse congregations from St. Albans to Oak Hill.

Under the direction of Marshall Murray, the ensemble sings both contemporary and traditional African-American gospel music.

Also, as part of the program, winners in student essay and art contests will be announced. A reception will follow in the multi-purpose room.

The program is being presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusion or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 6, 2011

For additional information, contact: Connie Dziagwa WVU Parkersburg Executive Director. Institutional Advancement (304-424-8203 - Office) E-mail