Performance Free and Open to the Public Thursday, Jan. 31

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Jan. 25, 2012) - - - Columbia State Community College announces a new date and time for the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration that was previously cancelled because of inclement weather.

The belated birthday celebration will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31 in the Cherry Theater. The keynote address will be delivered by the Rev. Trent Ogilvie, pastor of Bethel Chapel AME Church in Columbia.

In the spirit of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Ogilvie's address will challenge participants to "Dare to Dream."

The evening includes musical selections from Emily Gaskill, assistant professor of music at the college, along with a special performance to be announced Thursday evening.

The public is invited to share in this joy-filled evening, celebrating King's 84^th birthday. The Cherry Theater is in the Waymon L. Hickman building on the Columbia campus.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.