DANVILLE — A choir sang under stained glass windows Monday at St. James United Methodist Church, almost a century after Dr. Martin Luther King’s birth.
It was also two hours after the second inauguration of President Donald J. Trump. While one or two speakers alluded to the inauguration, all kept their remarks nonpartisan.
“It’s a time to honor a man who did more than just dream,” said Rev. Crystal Thomas. “He put action to his dream. I believe that God is calling for doers of the word, and not just hearers.”

Senior pastor of New Zion Tabernacle in Fort Wayne, Ind., and a longtime educator and principal, Thomas told the audience that God has a niche for everyone to make a difference. She said inequalities to oppose include the wealth gap, school-to-prison pipeline, mental health disparities, workplace biases and Black-on-Black crime.
Speaking to IPM News after the service, Thomas said she is worried about how the new Trump administration will affect immigrants and people of color.
“I was in a meeting recently with Hispanic pastors, and they’re all afraid. People are afraid, and God never wants us to live in fear,” she said. “So I am concerned, of course, but I’m just believing in God to do something miraculous. I’m looking for God’s hand in the midst of it.”
Danville mayor seeks police support after Inauguration Day

At the MLK Day celebration Monday, Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said he felt inspired by Thomas’ speech to take action to pursue dreams. In his case, he hopes to help Danville government run smoothly.
When asked about Inauguration Day and how he is feeling about the coming year, Williams said he hopes President Donald Trump will continue support for local law enforcement in his second term.
Williams said crime has gone down over the past five years in Danville.
“Unfortunately, this past year, we’ve seen a lot of rise in crime because a lot of folks, due to the SAFE-T Act, have been turned back out into the streets so they’re becoming repeat offenders,” Williams said. “I am hoping something might be done at both the state and federal level to address that.”
The SAFE-T Act ended cash bail in Illinois in 2023. The goal was to hold people before trial based on their safety risk, not their financial means.
A recent Loyola University study found state jail populations have gone down some with the law, but not as much as advocates hoped. The study also did not find an increase in crime.
Event celebrates longtime choir director, awards scholarships
The Danville MLK program was filled with music, from the beginning hymn, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to choir performances.
The director responsible for these performances received special recognition. Brett Dupree has directed MLK ensembles for 25 years and plans to continue directing them. He said preparing for the concert requires five rehearsals of up to two hours each.
In addition, two students received scholarships. The main scholarship recipient, Danville High School senior Tayvion Diltz, spoke about educating someone at his workplace about the bias in something they said about someone else.