Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Michigan City kicks off Black History Month with keynote from Urbana mayor
Loading...
Summary
Michigan City’s Black History Month kickoff brunch featured a prayer, a welcome from Mayor Angie Nelson Deitch, acknowledgments of sponsors and officials, and a keynote by Deshaun Williams of Urbana, Illinois, who urged investment in young people and community legacy.
Michigan City opened its 2026 Black History Month observances with a kickoff brunch that included an invocation, remarks from local leaders and a keynote address by Deshaun Williams, mayor of Urbana, Illinois.
Mayor Angie Nelson Deitch welcomed attendees and acknowledged a long list of local, county and state officials in the room, framing the program around the committee’s theme: “a century of black excellence from our roots to our future.” Pastor Ron Gaston of Temple Worship Center opened the event with a prayer asking for blessings on the program and its speakers.
Marty Corley, chair of the Michigan City Black History Month Committee, reviewed the committee’s calendar and sponsors, thanking platinum supporters including NIPSCO, Horizon Bank, the City of Michigan, the African American Empowerment Fund, the Michigan City Visitors Bureau, the Michigan City Police Department and the United Way of LaPorte County. He urged attendees to participate in events planned across the month, from quiz bowls and a Joyful Gospel Fest to a small-business pop-up and a talent show.
The keynote address from Deshaun Williams, a Michigan City native and the mayor of Urbana, Illinois, focused on the role of family, faith and community in shaping opportunity. Williams recalled struggles in school and the influence of parents and local mentors, and he urged the audience to support young people’s development. “Excellence doesn’t start at the finish line,” Williams said, arguing that legacy is built by everyday acts of commitment: “Legacy, not only is it written in history books, it’s written in who you pour into on a day to day basis.”
Williams spoke about public service as both a personal responsibility and a reflection of generations who made progress possible. He urged the community to invest in young people and to carry forward the work of past leaders so the next century of Black excellence will be stronger.
The program included a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” led by Brandy Reynolds and concluded with additional thanks to volunteers and the Salvation Army for hosting. Committee leaders encouraged residents to attend the month’s scheduled events and to connect with committee members for tickets and details.
