Annual MLK Celebration

29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

This celebration is a significant and symbolic event in the East Stroudsburg Community as it is the largest program in the area honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Through the years, the program has expanded in size unifying over 400 people from the community on MLK’s Day of Observance.

The program itself has transformed to include components such as the MLK Award, the Julianna V. Bolt Art Contest in which students from all high schools within Monroe County are encouraged to participate and all entries will be displayed at the event, a keynote speaker, musical performances, the Boddie Scholarship Award, and ESU’s official Day of Service in honor Dr. King.

Since its inception, 60 Mary Gertrude Smith Boddie Scholarships have been awarded to ESU students and a total of 76 MLK community and university awards have been presented.

This is will be an event you don’t want to miss!

This year's celebration will be held Monday, January 19, 2026 at 8 a.m. This year’s breakfast will be held at Terraview at Stroudsmoor Country Inn, 257 Stroudsmoor Rd, Stroudsburg, Pa. 18360. The theme of this year’s breakfast is “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

Keynote Speaker Pastor Selena Dionne Brown

Pastor Selena Dionne Brown is the Campus Pastor and Director of Youth and Community Involvement for the Greater Shiloh Church-Stroudsburg Campus under the leadership of Sr. Pastor Phillip and Co-Pastor Kristina Davis. Born in Durham, N.C. and raised in Jamaica, N.Y., she has served diligently in various areas of ministry for over 30 years.

After returning to Durham in 1997, Pastor Brown served at the New Life Christian Center under the leadership of Pastors Andrew and Cheryl Singletary until she moved to Pennsylvania in September 2004.

An entrepreneur and licensed cosmetologist by trade, Pastor Brown was in search of a permanent church where her family could worship when she was invited by one of her clients to attend a Women of Excellence Conference at the Greater Shiloh Church in 2005. It was at that conference that Pastor Brown heard the voice of God as He confirmed that she had been led to what would be her permanent church home.

In 2011, after years of serving in Youth and Women’s Ministry, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Sr. Pastor Davis, she accepted the call to preach the Gospel and began her ministerial and education requirements. On December 20, 2015, she was licensed as a Minister of the Greater Shiloh Church.

In 2018, Pastor Brown retired from the field of cosmetology to accept a fulltime position in ministry and was appointed Director of Youth and Community Involvement. Throughout her tenure at Greater Shiloh Church, Pastor Brown serves in the ministry as a Sunday School teacher, Women’s Ministry liaison, Bible Class teacher, Youth Ministry leader and Community Involvement liaison.

In September 2019, Pastor Brown was ordained to the office of Campus Pastor of the Greater Shiloh Church. Pastor Selena Brown has been anointed and appointed to preach God’s Word in and out of season, without looking for fame or fortune.

Pastor Selena Brown is the mother of three adult sons, Dernard, Joshua and Daniel.

Assistance or Special Accommodations

For assistance or special accommodations, please contact Lyesha Fleming, lfleming@esu.edu or (570) 422-3896. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to, services for physical, cognitive, visual or auditory assistance.

Artist Reception

Join us for an artist reception to view the work of the Julianna V. Bolt Art Content Participants.

Monday, January 19, 2026
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Madelon Powers Gallery
ESU's Fine and Performing Arts Center, Normal and Marguerite Streets, East Stroudsburg, Pa.