Celebrating King, Obama Close to Home

Holiday, Inauguration Events Dovetail in S.Md.

Southern Maryland residents are prepared to be in full swing this weekend, whether heading into the District, gathering around a co-worker's TV or participating in their county's first presidential inauguration gala.

"This is such a special weekend for us as Americans -- and as African Americans," said Sgt. Larry Titus with the Maryland State Police.

Titus, working with several community organizations and businesses, organized Calvert County's 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration tonight at Huntingtown High School. The event, "From King to Obama," will feature local performers celebrating King and President-elect Barack Obama.

"We feel this year will be so special for lots of people. If you can't make it to Washington, D.C., for the inaugural event, this will be a free event," Titus said.

Several King Day celebrations will tie in with the inauguration. At St. Mary's College of Maryland, the annual King prayer breakfast will also salute the nation's first legislator of mixed descent, Mathias de Sousa, who in 1641 became a member of the St. Mary's City General Assembly. De Sousa was of African and Portuguese lineage, said Janice Talbert Walthour, who is scheduled to speak at the breakfast.

Walthour said her talk will explore the life of de Sousa, who came to the colonies as an indentured servant, as well the civil rights struggle that followed for centuries.

"I'm going to talk about a revival time, like in church," said Walthour, a longtime St. Mary's County educator and NAACP member. "You get a new spirit and a renewal of soul. That is what I'm feeling is happening in our country with the change [Obama] advocated in his campaign."

An overwhelming feeling of change has swept over many Democrats across the country and in Southern Maryland. The Democratic committees in Calvert and Charles counties are hosting their first inauguration celebrations.

"We just worked very hard to get President Obama elected. We had a group of about 90 people work their hearts out -- going into Virginia, making phone calls across the country," said Kathy Kazimer, president of Charles's Northern Democratic Club. "The night he won, everyone said we had to have an inaugural party."

Several other luncheons and galas are being held in the next few days. Tickets were available Friday for most of the events in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary's counties.

The Black Box Theatre at the Indian Head Center for the Arts, all College of Southern Maryland campuses and the J.T. Daugherty Conference Center will have big-screen TVs and snacks.

"If you don't want to embroil yourself in traffic . . . come down to the Black Box and celebrate," said Bud Stringer, executive director of the theater.

The Maryland Transit Authority is also running shuttle buses to cut down on traffic into the District and at Metro stations Tuesday. About every 15 minutes, buses will stop at park-and-ride locations in Dunkirk, Prince Frederick, Charlotte Hall and Waldorf and will stop at the Branch Avenue Metro station, said Jawauna Greene, an MTA spokeswoman.

In addition to providing security at park-and-ride locations, Charles County deputies will be assisting law enforcement officials in the District, said Diane Richardson, a sheriff's office spokeswoman. St. Mary's and Calvert deputies are expected to have similar assignments, she said.

There is also the possibility of heavier-than-normal traffic on the Gov. Harry W. Nice Bridge, because many Potomac River bridges will be closed, said Donna Dudley, Charles's chief of tourism. She also said that all of Southern Maryland's hotels were experiencing higher than normal occupancy rates but that rooms were available.

"It is a very exciting time," Dudley said. "It is somewhat unpredictable."