Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., and his wife, Janice Hawkins, have been honored as “Keepers of the Dream” during Montgomery’s annual Martin Luther King Community Celebration.

Friends of the Theatre, a Montgomery-based nonprofit, gives the Beloved Community Awards to individuals in the Montgomery area who become “Keepers of the Dream” by demonstrating the work and commitment necessary to build the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “beloved community.”

The award was given as part of the City of Montgomery’s annual Martin Luther King Community Celebration, to bring attention to King’s legacy and to recognize citizens who foster his ideas, unite the community and inspire future generations.

“The late, great Congressman John Lewis advocated for good trouble, and it was Mrs. Rosa Parks who implemented that philosophy as she sat on the bus so others could stand up and be counted,” said Dr. Hawkins. “They were great friends of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and all three were ‘Keepers of the Dream.’ We had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Parks as we planned, built and opened the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, and later we had the honor of honoring our good friend, ‘the Boy from Troy,’ John Robert Lewis, as we named a signature building on our campus in his memory. It was in that context of the human spirit that we have helped transform Troy University into Alabama’s international university. We are trying hard to keep that dream alive.”

Mrs. Hawkins expressed her gratitude for the award.

“We sincerely appreciate this 2021 Keepers of the Dream award given by Friends of the Theatre, so on behalf of our board of trustees, our faculty and staff, and our wonderful students and alumni, we say think you and God bless you,” she said.

The entire ceremony can be viewed online.