MLK University/Community
Planning Corporation
"the time is now"
41st Annual
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Memorial celebration
Sunday, January 18, 2026
6:00 PM – 8:00 pm
The Friday Conference Center
our community commitment
Since 1993, we have awarded more than 370 scholarships to Chapel Hill and Orange County high school and college students who have demonstrated a commitment to community involvement and improvement through their civic, educational, and religious activities.
The scholarships are awarded without regard to race, religion, or creed and place special emphasis on financial need.
We hope you will join us in supporting our funding efforts to build a stronger sense of community and help deserving young people pursue a college education.
keynote speaker
Superior Court judge
carl fox
Carl Fox is a retired Superior Court Judge who dedicated 42 years to North Carolina’s judicial system. After earning a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1975, Carl became the first Black District Attorney in North Carolina. He later became the first Black judge in Judicial District 15B, which covers Chatham and Orange Counties, following an appointment by Governor Michael F. Easley in March 2005.
In 2015, Carl was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a blood cancer. He received treatment and a lifesaving bone marrow transplant at UNC Hospitals’ Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He fully recovered and returned to the bench in July 2016. Before his transplant, Carl, his wife Julia, and several friends founded “Save the Fox,” a nonprofit organization focused on raising awareness about the need for bone marrow donors, especially among minorities, and registering new potential donors for patients with blood cancers.
