Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Will Be Held at Westport Country Playhouse

"Voter Suppression in America" will be the topic of keynote speaker Dr. Carol Anderson, historian, educator, and New York Times bestselling author, at the 14th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Sunday, January 19, at 3 p.m., at Westport Country Playhouse. The event is free-of-charge and open to the public. However, advance registration is recommended through the Playhouse box office at 203-227-4177 or by email at rsvp@westportplayhouse.org. Seating is general admission (unreserved).

The celebration is co-sponsored by The Westport Library, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport/Weston Interfaith Council, Westport/Weston Interfaith Clergy, and TEAM Westport.

"On behalf of the co-sponsoring organizations, we are honored to welcome Dr. Carol Anderson to this year's event," said Harold Bailey, Jr., chair of TEAM Westport. "She is one of the nation's foremost experts on voting suppression and voter disinformation. Her body of research and historical perspectives directly intersect with the issues most critical to the future of our nation at this time."

Dr. Anderson is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University. She is the author of "One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy"; "White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Nation's Divide," a New York Times bestseller; "Eyes Off the Prize: The United Nations and the African American Struggle for Human Rights, 1944-1955"; and "Bourgeois Radicals: The NAACP and the Struggle for Colonial Liberation, 1941-1960."

Anderson's address will be followed by a moderated audience Q&A and a book signing. Books will be available for purchase at the event. In addition, there will be performances by opera singer Helena Brown and students from Trumbull's Regional Center for the Arts. Complimentary refreshments will be served in the Playhouse lobby after the presentation.

This event is made possible in part by and is included in the Westport Library's 2019-20 WestportREADS program, "Our Vote. Our Future," a year-long series commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration began in 2006 as an interfaith gathering, coordinated by the Interfaith Council of Westport and Weston.

All dates and participants are subject to change.

For more information and reservations, call the Westport Country Playhouse box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport, or at www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), or view Playhouse videos on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).

The mission of Westport Country Playhouse is to enrich, enlighten, and engage the community through the power of professionally produced theater of the highest caliber and the welcoming experience of the Playhouse campus. The not-for-profit Playhouse provides this experience in multiple ways by offering live theater experiences of the highest quality, under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos; educational and community engagement events to further explore the work on stage; the New Works Initiative, a program dedicated to the discovery, development, and production of new live theatrical works; special performances and programs for students and teachers with extensive curriculum support material; Script in Hand play readings to deepen relationships with audiences and artists; the renowned Woodward Internship Program during the summer months for aspiring theater professionals; Family Festivities presentations to delight young and old alike and to promote reading through live theater; youth performance training through Broadway Method Academy, Westport Country Playhouse's resident conservatory program; and the beautiful and historic Playhouse campus open for enjoyment and community events year-round. Charity Navigator has recently awarded its top 4-star charity rating to the Playhouse in recognition of its strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.

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