State of Connecticut Attorney General William Tong will be the guest speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance to be held Sunday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church. This is the church’s 26th celebration honoring the late civil rights leader and is the only such event in Southington.

The observance is included during the Sunday worship service and will center on the theme, “Justice at Work.” As is customary, the church will honor two middle school students who exemplify the legacy and mission of The Rev. Dr. King. Music will be provided by Saul Olivas of the Mariachi Academy of Wallingford.

According to the State of Connecticut website bio, “Tong is the 25th Attorney General to serve Connecticut since the office was established by the state constitution in 1897. He first took office in 2019 and is currently serving his second term. He is a national leader in many of the most consequential lawsuits and investigations in our country today. Tong works every day to safeguard our civil rights and freedoms, fighting alongside state attorneys general nationwide to protect the rights of women, minority communities, immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. He is the first Asian American elected to statewide office in Connecticut, and the first Chinese American to be elected Attorney General nationwide.”

First Baptist Church established the King observance after “one snowy trek to another celebration in Bristol in 1996. Our first was held as a breakfast in 1997 and has become such an important outreach of our church now for over 25 years,” according to event organizers.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Observance is free and open to the public. All are welcome. First Baptist Church of Southington is located at 581 Meriden Ave. The event will also be livestreamed on the church Facebook page “First Baptist Church – Southington, CT.” For more information, visit the church website www.firstbaptistsouthington.org .