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Chubby Checker, Rendell get awards at annual MLK luncheon

Diversity was on display at 33rd annual event hosted by Philadelphia Martin Luther Ling Jr. Association for Nonviolence.

MARTIN Luther King Jr.'s message of nonviolent protest brought together diverse people in his lifetime, so it was fitting that diversity was on display yesterday at the 33rd annual luncheon hosted by the Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Association for Nonviolence.

South Philly-raised music legend Chubby Checker didn't sing "The Twist" or anything else, but received a "Drum Major" award for excellence in entertainment. He gave a well-received speech about the importance of taking advantage of the rights and opportunities made possible by King.

A healthy contingent of politicians showed up, with former Gov. Ed Rendell also receiving a "Drum Major" award for political and civic leadership.

And a French family who happened to meet luncheon officials during a ceremony at the Liberty Bell yesterday morning was invited to the luncheon at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel, on 17th Street near Race in Center City.

Stephane Aknin, who moved his family from Paris to New York City six months ago for work, told the audience that he and his wife, Louisa, decided to visit Philadelphia with their children, Nelson, 12, and Satine, 9, to do something meaningful on King Day.

"We were coming here for our kids to learn more about Martin Luther King, about liberty, about freedom. You have given us the best way to teach our children what it's about," said Aknin, who received rousing applause for his remarks and for explaining that his son was named in honor of former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Rendell, who noted that he was heading to Harrisburg for today's inauguration of Gov.-elect Tom Wolf, said the best way to honor King's dream is to work harder at educating young people.

"Dr. King would tell us that the greatest task that's ahead of us is economic equity and economic opportunity. Dr. King would tell us that there's only one way to achieve" those goals, Rendell said. "That's another word that starts with e - education. He would tell us we must do everything we can to educate our citizens."

Nutter, in tones similar to a fire-and-brimstone preacher, told the gathered that too many Philadelphians dishonor King's legacy by not voting and with violence.

"The 248 lives that we lost [to murder] last year, that's not what Dr. King was about. The thousands of people who were shot last year, that's not what Dr. King was about," said Nutter, who lamented that most of the violence is black men attacking black men.

He urged the public to see the film "Selma," which depicts King and other protesters marching about 50 miles demonstrating for the right of African-Americans to vote in Alabama.