Emery Washington, a retired Episcopal priest, will speak at the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration service beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, at Christ Episcopal Church in Rolla.
Refreshments will be served in the Parish Hall following the service, and the event is free and open to the public. The church traditionally holds the service the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to enable members of the Missouri S&T community the opportunity to attend, as the campus closes for the holiday.

Washington, who retired from All Saints’ Episcopal Church, served in four dioceses and six congregations during his 40 years of service. He is a regular supply priest in two dioceses and an associate priest of the Church of the Holy Communion in University City, Mo. In addition, he serves as the ecumenical and interreligious officer and is a member of the Commission on Dismantling Racism in the Diocese of Missouri.
Previously, Washington served as an educator and priest in the Diocese of Arkansas, a field educator for Eden Seminary, a missionary to Nigeria and Puerto Rico and has studied in England, Israel and Turkey.
Washington was born in Palestine, Ark., to Fannie M. Norrington and the late Booker T. Washington. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Philander Smith College in 1957, a master of divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1961 and teaching certifications from Arkansas State University in 1966 and 1968.
Washington and wife Alice have been married for more than 40 years and have four children, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.