Local Church Group to Receive MLK Legacy Award; International Salute to Dr. King to Honor Scotland’s 2nd Century Project

The International Salute to the Life and Legacy of Dr. Mar6n Luther King Jr. has selected the 2nd Century Project for the Scotland African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of Potomac, Md., to receive the 2024 Legacy Award for Civic Engagement and Community Impact.

The honor, to be presented Jan. 14 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., marks the first 6me the International Salute Committee has chosen a non-profit group to be showcased since the awards program began in 1991. “Carrying the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. forward, the 2nd Century Project has brought together thousands of people in a remarkable campaign launched in 2022,” said Madeline Lawson, founder of the Interna6onal Salute Committee.

“In addition to raising funds to restore and expand the historic AME Zion Church at the Scotland community, the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery County, Maryland in the 1960s, the dynamic modern campaign has focused on education, history, and interfaith engagement — all hallmarks of Dr. King’s efforts six decades ago.”

The Scotland AME Zion church opened 100 years ago on Seven Locks Road at the location of the first settlement owned by African Americans in Potomac. More than two years after the church flooded catastrophically in 2019, the 2nd Century Project team began connecting the broader community — including leaders in business, faith, and the non-profit sectors. The 2023 Scotland Juneteenth Heritage

Festival, in particular, brought widespread recognition of the history of the community and raised nearly $100,000 toward the $10 million cost of restoration and expansion of the flooded building and site. “The Scotland AME Zion Church represents a beacon of hope and perseverance and serves as a model for all people whose determination and faith can impact the community and the world,” said Rev. Dr. Evalina Huggins, the church’s pastor.

“Martin Luther King, like the Scotland Church, believes ‘that love is the only force capable of turning an adversary to a friend, and hate is too much of a burden to carry.’ Our desire is also a ‘Beloved Community,’ and this award acknowledges our attempt to make a difference in the world and we are grateful for this recognition.”

Scotland will be represented at the (invitation-only) award ceremony by its honorary co-chairs Joyce Siegel, a renowned community activist, as well as Catherine Leggett, who serves on the 2nd Century Project team with her husband, former Montgomery County executive Ike Leggett.

Other International Salute honorees for 2024 include:
H. E. Khazar Ibrahim, currently the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United States; Kay Coles James, former Secretary of the Commonweath of Virginia; Dr. Nabhit Kapur, founder of the Peacefulmind Foundation; Allie B. Latimer, founding president of FEW (Federally Employed Women); and Eleanor W. Traylor, PhD.

WHEN: Sunday, January 14, 2024, 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.

WHERE: Willard InterContinental, Hotel Grand Ballroom (Lower Level), 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004