Civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was not only known as an advocate for racial equality but as a supporter of community service. One local organization wants to keep this principle alive.

The Selma Chapter of The Links Inc. will hold its 19th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast Monday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 a.m. inside the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center. Selma native Dr. Donald Jefferson will be the event’s guest speaker.

With this year’s theme as “Uniting Selma through the Power of friendship and service,” Links president Pinkie Platt believes the occasion is an ideal opportunity to bring the community — black and white, together.

“Because our organization is so involved in community service, we see this as an opportunity to bring together the ideas and philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr.,” Platt said. “This gives us the opportunity to sit down together, break bread and socialize together in a way that is not threatening to both groups.”

The organization, which annually honors an outstanding citizen for work in the community, will this year recognize Alabama Cooperative Extension County Extension coordinator Callie N. Nelson.

Platt said the organization looks for individuals who “go beyond the call of duty.”

“We look around for people who are ‘unsung heroes’ — people who don’t get a lot of praise, but do a lot in the community and deserve the praise,” Platt said.

“She (Nelson) has been instrumental in serving the elderly in the community (and) children in the school system; she is really about community service and we’re about that so we like to recognize that.”

Proceeds from the breakfast, Platt said, help to provide educational programs about etiquette, bullying, financial literacy and childhood obesity to elementary schools and teen summits for local teens. Platt said she expects the event to once again be a success.

“We’ve always had support from (the) community,” Platt said

“Our corporate sponsors support us and we sell tickets to the public. We not only expect it to be a success financially, but also bringing people together in the spirit of unity.”

Tickets are $15 and include a full-breakfast buffet. For more information, call 505-9185 or any local Links member.

Jefferson, who served 33 years as an educator in the State of Alabama, attended Livingston University, Alabama State University and Troy University. Jefferson received his doctorate degree in Education Leadership Policy and Law from Alabama State University.