Martin Luther King III will host a celebration Oct. 14 marking the 100th anniversary of the Scotland AME Zion Church building in Potomac.
“We are deeply honored to share this historic occasion with the oldest son of Martin Luther King Jr.,” said April Swales, a sixth-generation resident of the historic community of Scotland that was founded by formerly enslaved families in 1880.
“Martin III is a globally respected activist in his own right, and we are excited to talk about our shared dreams that continue to build on where his father left off.”
Events will focus on relationships between African American and Jewish people through the past 60 years and feature a fundraiser, reception and panel discussion.
The 2nd Century Project was launched in 2022 to raise money and community awareness for the church that was flooded in 2019. Approximately $8.3 million has been raised toward an $11 million goal. The repairs and additions are underway and are expected to be finished in mid-December.
Events that day include an invitation-only fundraising luncheon is planned at Norton Manor in Potomac, the home of philanthropists Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman.
A ceremony is planned for 3 p.m. inside the newly expanded structure at 10902 Seven Locks Road. At 6:30 p.m., King will headline a reception and panel discussion at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., with the theme: “From Selma to Scotland: Celebrating 60 years Civil Rights Progress Through Interfaith Connections.”
“I’m excited to work with the Scotland church that is proving, once again, that great things can happen when people of all faiths come together to achieve a dream,” King said.
