The Nyack Branch of the NAACP gears up to commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated nationally on January 15th in order to remember the civil right leader who fought for racial injustice and civil disobediance through nonviolent protest. The Nyack Branch of National Association for the Advacement of Colored People (NAACP), will honor Dr. King during the annual interfaith service at the Pilgram Baptist Church in Rockland County. President of the Nyack Branch, Frances E. Pratt, will be in attendance as she has been for the last 37 years.

The Nyack Branch of the NAACP continues to fight for freedom and justice for the African-American community. Notable strides have been made in education, housing, civic participation, health, and economic developement. The herculean leadership of Frances Pratt has been on full display as she earned the 1986 Heroine award from the National NAACP, an induction in the Rockland County Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Harriet Tubman award at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York in 2006.

Pratt's vocation to activism can be traced back to her childhood, during an incident in her hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina. She wanted ice cream, and her mother accompanied her to the local parlor. They were able to purchase the ice cream, but were told to sit outside of the building.

Since then she has spent her life making efforts to improve racism, inequality, and interactions with people of color and law enforcement. She also educates the community of the responsbilty of voting. "Candidate Night" was created in hopes to increase voting registration. She also works with the Nyack Youth Council that teaches young people about about their civil rights, leadership, and important issues in their communities.

Frances Pratt began the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Program at the Pilgrim Baptist Church over 30 years ago. It is part of her legacy that will continue even after she is long gone.

For more information visit the Nyack Brach NAACP website at https://nyacknaacp.weebly.com