Bowling Green kicks off MLK week with Black History Quiz Bowl

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Week celebration got underway Thursday night at the Capitol Theatre with a birthday celebration for Dr. King and a new addition to the kickoff event: a Black History Quiz Bowl.

Ryan Dearbone, co-chair of the MLK Holiday Planning Committee, said organizers wanted to try something different this year while still keeping the focus on education and remembrance. “We always try to do something different for our kickoff event,” Dearbone said. “But a quiz bowl is something we haven’t tried yet.”

The quiz bowl brought together community members of different ages, turning Black history into a friendly competition while also serving as a learning opportunity. Dearbone said the format is especially important at a time when historical topics are not always widely discussed. “Especially in a climate today where a lot of history isn’t known, a lot of Black history isn’t always being talked about,” he said.

Dearbone said the goal is to remind people that Black history is inseparable from American history. “Black history is a part of American history,” he said, noting that many inventions, movements and cultural changes would not exist without those contributions.

The kickoff event also set the tone for several days of activities planned across the community. According to Dearbone, events continue Monday with a breakfast at Parker-Bennett Elementary School, followed by a march from the Justice Center to State Street Baptist Church and a main program featuring a keynote speaker and musical guests.

While the quiz bowl added a new element to the celebration, Dearbone said the heart of the week remains focused on Dr. King’s legacy and passing that history on to future generations. “If we keep it at the forefront, if we keep talking about it, if we keep educating people, it can never be erased,” he said.