National Civil Rights leader Charles Neblett turns 80 this week. Appropriately on the final weekday of Black History Month, Dr. Neblett is scheduled to appear on WRUS this Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Hall of Fame journalist Don Neagle will talk with his friend Neblett, in a classic conversation between two local legends.

Young Charles Neblett was deeply involved in the national Civil Rights movement of the 1960s as a member of the Original SNCC Freedom Singers. They marched with Civil Rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rep. John Lewis, singing beautifully and with great feeling. They have been honored by many, jailed by a few.

They were flown to Washington, D.C. from California in a private plane to be near Dr. King while he made the famous “I Have a Dream” speech in front of thousands of supporters in the summer of 1963.

The Freedom Singers have received many honors over the decades since Dr. King’s assassination in 1968.

Among the honors were being guests at the White House of President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama and his being awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Southern Illinois University.

See the story on The LoJo about his doctorate at http://www.theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=news1057&Search=Neblett.

See the story of the musical presentation he helped plan at the White House on The LoJo at http://www.theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=news58&Search=Obama.

Charles Neblett and his wife Marvinia have been leaders in Russellville and Logan County for decades. For many years they have organized a march downtown in the time frame around Dr. King’s birthday. Charles Neblett was the first and is still the only African American elected to a seat on Logan Fiscal Court.

WRUS can be heard at 104.9 FM, 610 AM, wrusradio.com, and the WRUS app.