Social Club Honors Legacy Of Former Mass. Politician With Kwanzaa Brunch

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The atmosphere in the Piano Craft Gallery was celebratory on Saturday as the community gathered to honor the legacy of Melvin 'Mel' King during Kwanzaa.

The beat of an African drum welcomed attendees as they filled the gallery in the South End for the celebration. The civil rights activist and former politician, who was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, held a Kwanzaa brunch at his home for more than 50 years.

"When he passed, we noticed that there was a significant gap within the community as it relates to community engagement, what organizing and activism really looked like, and so we, with the blessings of the King family, we put in place and practiced the continuation of the Mel King brunch," said Heather Cook.

Cook founded the brunch that carries on Mel King's legacy. The brunch also honored Harrison Clark, a 26-year-old Mattapan man to whom Mel King served as a role model.

"It's hard to do any sort of organizing in Boston and not know who Mel King is. He's an inspiration and somebody that I look up to, and I hope that, especially after receiving this award today, I do his memory proud," Clark said.

Bless Robinson, one of the organizers of the Mel King Brunch Club, hopes that events like the brunch will continue to carry on King's legacy.

"A chance to just get together, gather, break bread, and really get a feel of what community is really about. Us being there for one another, us being able to support one another," Robinson said.

Mel's son Jomo King helped to provide music for the event.

"Right now, today, seeing all the young people, the elders here, that's one of the things that we wanted to make sure that the younger people are being included. People have been praising my dad for so long. It's like, okay, well, who's next? Now who's next?" King said.

Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa combines an array of activities that end with a feast called Karamu on Dec. 31. The name derives from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza," meaning "fresh fruit," in Swahili. While the spelling of the cultural celebration has several meanings, one of them includes a letter for the seven days that Kwanzaa is observed.

During the holiday, people light a candle each night and review one of the seven principles of Nguzo Saba: