FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee will open its 2009 King’s Birthday program of activities this Sunday.

The annual Memorial Program will be hosted by the Good Samaritan Sanctuary, located at 7208 Twin Beech Road (County Rd 44) in Fairhope. Church pastor, Rev. Henry Crawford, will lead the evening’s events, which will begin at 6. Anthony Sampson will be the keynote speaker.

Sampson, a Daphne resident, is a human resources supervisor for the Baldwin County Public School System and is responsible for oversight of teacher allocations. He has served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal since coming to Baldwin County in 1999.

He is a major in the Louisiana Army National Guard and currently serves as the health services human resources officer for the Louisiana Medical Command with more than 16 years of service.

His childhood experience with his grandparents provides the framework for his accomplishments in life. His education and military experience enables him to remain on the cutting edge in developing his leadership skills, understanding societal and cultural issues of the children we serve, and instructional strategies that fosters growth and development for future learning. Educators and leaders are the catalyst for providing missing components that are essential for lifelong learning. His infectious laughter and love of humanity provides inspiration and encouragement that teaches individuals and organizations how to change their environment to improve learning and productivity.

He is the author of “Get Out Of Line, How Ordinary People Get Extraordinary Results.” Sampson received his bachelor of science in biology from Dillard University, a master’s of arts degree in curriculum and instruction from Xavier University, New Orleans, and his Educational Leadership Certification from the University of South Alabama.

Sampson and his wife have two daughters.

The 22st Annual Martin Luther King Memorial March will be held Monday, Jan. 19, in Foley. The march will begin at Kids Park at 10:30 a.m. and end at the Foley Civic Center, where a program will be held. The keynote speaker will be Presiding Circuit Court Judge James. H. Reid.

The public is invited to attend these activities.