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An aura of activism marked the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center’s celebration of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

“We wanted our community to rekindle the spirit around Dr. King’s values,” said Mamie Smith-Faust, the director of the center, 1655 Foster St.

Approximately 275 people attended Monday night to watch dancing, singing, poetry readings, a live jazz music performance and an awards ceremony.

The message of the night was not just to honor King’s legacy but also to send out a call to the Evanston community to continue King’s fight for equality.

“We have to address economic disparity,” Smith-Faust said.

Her keynote address, titled “Have you sowed the seeds to keep his dream alive?” focused blacks’ continual struggle with economic inequality.

Smith-Faust also urged the audience to shop in stores owned by blacks and emphasized the importance of parental responsibility and education.

“There’s a lot we can do if we can unify our efforts,” Smith-Faust told the crowd. “Civil rights will remain an issue as long as society values human life by the color of our skin.”

The theme of activism carried over to the Evanston Historical Society’s “The Sick Can’t Wait” art and photography exhibit, which was on display at the center for the first time Monday.

The exhibit detailed the efforts of the African-American medical community in Evanston to raise funds for Community Hospital in the pre-civil rights era.

“It goes to show some of the struggles that the black community has had to overcome with the prejudice and funding to help build the hospital,” said Evanston resident Gene Bell, who was honored as one of the “Dream Keepers of Evanston” for his work at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Center.

The “Dream Keepers of Evanston” award was presented to about 40 members of the community, including Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton and members of the two local school boards, for various contributions in community service.

“(King’s) mission was for him to unite people of all backgrounds,” said Anthony Graves, who read poetry with his group Poets of the Over the Rainbow Club. “I just hope people don’t forget what (King’s) mission was, because we still have a lot to do.”

One honoree was former Evanston Police Department Chief William Logan, who was recognized for 38 years of volunteer work at Fleetwood-Jourdain.

Logan said the award was particularly significant because of his special connection with King.

“I had the privilege to be Dr. King’s bodyguard when he came to Evanston,” Logan said.

“It was very touching. He was the one who motivated me to hold onto my dreams.”

A voter registration booth at the Monday night event also honored King’s dream of political equality.

“You want the people to at least have the opportunity to vote,” said Jerome Summers, who ran the booth.

“Part of his work was to get people to where they could vote.”