Thomas Armstrong to speak at Aurora Public Library's MLK Day Jan. 21

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Aurora Public Library District invites you to reflect on history and be inspired to promote social justice with featured speaker Thomas Armstrong on Monday, Jan. 21. "The Foot Soldiers' Journey and MLK" program will be 6 to 7 p.m. at the Santori Public Library, 101 S. River St.

Armstrong will offer a reminder on one's potential and responsibility as individuals to promote social justice and serve as an inspirational voice in the modern fight against racism.

Armstrong was a Freedom Rider during the early 1960s civil rights movement.

Armstrong was born in rural Mississippi and attended Tougaloo College, where he became involved in organizing active movements towards social justice. In addition, he was introduced to Medgar Evers, who played a vital role in his inspiration to serve in the movement of nonviolent activism that ultimately led to his arrest and exile.

Armstrong has returned to share his story in a memoir entitled "Autobiography of a Freedom Rider: My Life as a Foot Soldier for Civil Rights," which was published in 2011.

Since then, he has been featured at countless events nationally and in the Chicago area, including the African American Leadership Roundtable and Freedom Riders 50th Anniversary in Chicago. He was most recently the keynote speaker for the Aurora Kwanzaa Celebration at the Prisco Center.

Attendees will enjoy a visual presentation alongside the story of a local man fighting for the same principles espoused by civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. People will have the opportunity to connect with their community around those principles and come together to honor the everyday heroes who dismantled the Jim Crow era discrimination. You can look forward to being empowered to live by the principles Armstrong fought for decades ago and continues to confront today.

"For those who have not yet heard his inspirational story, and for those who have and recognize the profound impact of everyday heros in the battle for civil rights, Thomas Armstrong is a reminder of the foot soldiers whose contributions to the movement cannot go unrecognized," said Krista Danis, events and program coordinator at Santori Library.

Don't miss this special event in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.!

For more information, visit the library district's events calendar at aurora.libnet.info/events.