Martin Luther King Jr. / via Wikimedia
Four decades ago, Wisconsin became the first state to organize an official event honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For many of those years, Dr. Jonathan Øverby has been the executive producer and director of the “Tribute & Ceremony” held each January at the state capitol in Madison. “With the help of many, the event remains an annual celebration that draws thousands of people from varied walks of life to the state capital in remembrance of Dr. King’s legacy,” Øverby says.
This January, the event will shift to virtual, a pivot whose planning began last July. “A production of this magnitude requires a good deal of planning,” Øverby explains. “In the simplest of terms, the writing was on the wall that the COVID pandemic would impede any effort to stage a public event.”
Originally from Milwaukee, Øverby has worn many hats over the years, including concert artist, conductor and music educator. His long-running “world music” program on Wisconsin Public Radio, “The Road to Higher Ground,” brings his voice into homes across the state. Øverby was named a Distinguished Broadcaster in 2013 by the University of Wisconsin Extension, received the Wisconsin Idea Award in 2016, and has been invited to speak at musicology conferences around the world.
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“In collaboration with PBS Wisconsin we decided to air a pre-recorded program aired by PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio featuring segments from past years,” Øverby says, describing the virtual MLK event. “It will include excerpts from author Michelle Alexander’s speech at the 32nd Annual Tribute in 2011. The program features archival performances by Chicago’s GMAC Mass Choir and Milwaukee's Latino Strings. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers will present the 2021 MLK Heritage Awards and the State Proclamation.”
Øverby has plans for this year’s MLK Tribute as a launching point for an ongoing podcast series, the Forward Together Forum. “The COVID pandemic and the troubling social climate in our nation and the world for that matter inspired the idea of sustaining Dr. King’s dream beyond just this single annual event. The Forward Together Forum, a collaborative and community-based podcast series, will feature scholars, authors, historians, and artists who will share their insights on how we can help make Dr. King’s dream a reality, followed by an online Q&A session for up to 1000 participants free of charge.”
On Monday, January 18, PBS Wisconsin will air a one-hour pre-produced program featuring segments from past years titled “The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration 2021” on the flagship channel at 10 p.m. It will air on the Wisconsin Channel at 7 p.m. and again at 11 p.m. Wisconsin Public Radio will simulcast the King Tribute at Noon on the Ideas Network and the NPR News and Music Network.
