The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance will kick off Coastal Carolina University's annual African-American Celebration on Friday, Jan. 17. The event is free and open to the public.

The community is invited to join hands as Preston McKever-Floyd, university chaplain and professor, delivers a prayer for peace at 12:30 p.m. in Wall Auditorium. The Coastal Carolina University Gospel Choir, under the direction of Sheryl Ward, will perform.

Guest speaker Walter Jackson, CEO of Kyndacris Enterprises in Irmo, S.C., will give the keynote address titled "Catching the Dream."

Coastal's African-American Celebration, which will be held through the 2003 spring semester, offers a variety of events which examine the art, history, music and cultural achievements of African-Americans.

For more information, contact Coastal's Office of Multicultural Student Services at 349-2863.