DeKalb to celebrate community leaders, Black History Month at 42nd Annual MLK Celebration

DECATUR, GA— DeKalb County will present its 42nd Annual MLK celebration, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy while celebrating the contributions of DeKalb leaders and others who have been involved in the fight for civil and human rights across the nation. The event takes place on March 5.

The celebration will bring together community leaders, residents, elected officials, and local partners for a  program celebrating the spirit of service, justice, and unity that defines both Dr. King’s legacy and Black History Month.

The program will be hosted by WSB-TV morning news anchor Lori Wilson and will feature a conversation with civil rights icon and political leader, Ambassador Andrew Young.

“Dr. King’s vision reminds us that progress is rooted in courage, compassion, and collective action,” said DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. “This celebration is an opportunity to reflect on our shared history, honor those who have paved the way, and reaffirm our commitment to building a more equitable and inclusive future for all.”

Two public servants will be honored with the Nathaniel Mosby Humanitarian Award at the event. The award celebrates the recipients’ commitment to tireless community service and outstanding dedication to being an agent for positive change. The late Mosby, a Korean War veteran, was a devoted community servant who served in many leadership roles in DeKalb: He was a former DeKalb County commissioner,a longtime member of the DeKalb County Community Relations Commission, and he was an Atlanta Regional Commission officer for more than 14 years, just to name a few.

The two public servants receiving the 2026 Nathaniel Mosby Humanitarian Awards are:

Justice Leah Ward Sears,

Interim President Emory University

Justice Sears is an Emory Law alumna who began serving as Emory University’s interim president on September 1, 2025.

Sears is a trailblazer in the legal profession. She was appointed to the City Court of Atlanta in 1982 by Mayor Andrew Young, becoming Georgia’s first African American woman superior court judge. In 1992, she became the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Gov. Zell Miller. Justice Sears has received numerous honorary degrees and prestigious honors, including the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Award, the Emory Medal, and named as one of USA Today’s “Georgia Women of the Century.”

Rabbi Zev-Hayyim Feyer 

Rabbi Zev-Hayyim Feyer was ordained in 1977 after years of intensive mentorship complemented by interfaith studies with spiritual teachers from several disciplines.

Rabbi Feyer holds a Master of Arts in Religion from Claremont School of Theology and is a founding member of OHALAH and a member of the Council of Elders of the Shomer Shalom Institute for Jewish Non-Violence. Rabbi.

Feyer has been involved in the fight for human and civil rights for over 70 years. He was present in 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his celebrated “I Have a Dream” speech. He went on to work as a poll watcher in Mississippi in 1971 and marched in the front row at the 17th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March in 1982.

The celebration, which will be live streamed at www.dctvchannel23.tv, reflects DeKalb County’s ongoing commitment to honoring its diverse community and advancing equity, opportunity, and progress for all residents.

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