Key Moments in our Lifetimes:
(Click on any year to see a timeline for that year from The History Channel)

2008
Theme: "State of the Dream"
15th World Leader: Oprah Winfrey
Timothy Orikri, Nigerian Artist, Inspired by Dr. King
Rev. Jonathan Sams who worked with Dr. King in the 1960's
Allen Park High School Jazz Band
WBHS Soul Singers
WBHS African American Awareness Club Step Team performed
WBHS Laker Express
State of the Dream Video Interviews
Allen Park & WBHS performing a program of Illusion Theater of Minneapolis, MN
Combined choirs: Allen Park, Avondale & WBHS
Charles Russell, Gratitude Steel Band
Allen Park High School Drum Line
Dialogue Session for Adults and Young Adults

2007
Theme: "Dare to Live His Dream"
Mosaic Youth Theater performance of "Speak for Yourself"
13 and 14th World Leaders: Coretta Scott King and Paul Rusesabagina
Remarks by Rwandan journalist Thomas Kamilindi at the candlelight vigil
Ealy Elementary 5th grade choir
New Teen Congress
WBHS African American Awareness Club Step Team performed
WBHS and Allen Park High School combined choirs performed
The Youth dialogues were facilitated by WBHS and the University of Michigan students this year.

2006
Theme: "Hold Fast to His Dream"
The Heidelberg "shoe" project
12th World Leader: Rosa Parks
Dr. King's 77th birthday celebration at the candlelight vigil with cake from Opera Pastries
Combined West Bloomfield Abbott and Orchard Lake Middle Schools choir
Adult Oratory Contest
Detroit School of Arts Vision Male Ensemble
West Bloomfield High School African Awareness Club

2005
Theme: I Have A Dream That We Can All Be Friends
I Have a Dream Speech: Tony Bradley, NBA Players Association, Atlanta, GA
Amazing Grace: Multi School Ensemble
Presentation: Children of Abraham Project

2004
Theme: Honoring the Dream, Uniting Community
Keynote Speaker: Rabbi Josh Bennett, Temple Israel
10th Anniversary Video featuring original organizing committee members and supporters
Introduction of WBHS Gospel Choir
Program Finale: Award Winner vocalist, Thornetta Davis, and joint APHS and WBHS Choirs
Elementary Diversity Fair
Middle School Program
Teen Multi-school Chat
Adult Dialogue Workshop: Josh White Jr./JET Theatre

2003
Theme: Building a Peaceful Community, Today for Tomorrow
Keynote Speaker: Rev. Kevin Turman, Pastor of historic Second Baptist Church in Detroit
Presentation of Resolutions for a Peaceful Community
Disability Awareness Workshop
Adult/Youth Dialogue session
Teen Multi-school chat

2002
Adult Dialogue participants plan visits to churches, temples, mosques and synagogues throughout the year
A second auditorium program on Martin Luther King Day is added to give students and adults an opportunity to witness Dr. Michael Fowlin's "You Don't Know Me Until You Know Me"
A large elementary choir performs parent David Mayer's composition, "Children's Anthem" under the direction of Maryellen Sobestsky
unitedwewalk.org website is launched with assistance from WorldWise, Inc.

2001
Alumnus Johnson, joined by '99 graduate and singer Carmen Woodruff, return to perform to the delight of the audience
Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm serves as the keynote speaker
School outreach extends to Wayne County with the addition of Allen Park High School
Cranbrook Peace Foundation awards its Expanding the Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. grant award to United We Walk - its first major grant. A year-long lecture series, leadership development activities and new outreach and communications tools are planned as a result.

2000
Senior Candace Johnson writes and performs United We Walk's second original song, "We Are One"
Organizers take the year's theme, "Building the Dream…Friend by Friend" literally by inviting schools from across Oakland County to participate
Orchard Lake Rd. is completely closed to traffic for a new 1.5 mile walk loop between Green and Walnut Lake Rds.

1999
West Bloomfield Clergy Association sponsors first Candlelight Vigil on the eve of the walk
King contemporaries Dean Robb and Claudia Morcom provide reflections
Community Conversations, dialogue sessions are added after the walk's conclusion to respond to participants' interests in discussing how the day's themes impact their personal lives

1998
New pre-walk program concludes with a multi-language message to bestow peace on walkers

1997
New walk route takes marches through neighborhood south of WBHS
High school senior Tracey Phillips writes and performs the first original UWW song in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, entitled "Come With Me"

1996
Gordon Bleich directs a combined choir of fifth grade students for several selections

1995
The first United We Walk event took place on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 16, 1995 at Orchard Lake Middle School, on Orchard Lake Road (walk path) and at West Bloomfield High School. General Motors provided shuttle service.
United We Walk's 1st Planning Committee: Hertha Woodruff, Beth Borson, Sheryl Johnson, Denise Kelley, Shirley Barksdale, Brian Kaplan, Sharkey Haddad, Tom Stimmel, Mano Yono, Diane Venn, Pamela Bentley, Lance Davis, Nancy Gavoor, Esther Small, Shelley Willner, Judy Canosa, Elaine Schonberger, Margo Edwards, Debbi Yono, Ann Allen, Polly Friend, Charlene Mitchell-Rodgers, Joan Groves, Kwai-Fong Tse, Debbie Macon, Beauty Ovbije-Onomake, Andrew Groen, Diane Ferguson, Esther Peterson, Ida Goutman, Fran Denawetz, Katherine Sheiko, Ernie Robinson, Carla Jones, Ken Gutman, and Marsha Tucker.

1994
Parents who were members of the Multicultural Awareness Committee of Orchard Lake Middle School successfully recommended to the West Bloomfield Board of Education in February that the school district observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by cancelling classes, beginning the next year. In October the Multicultural Awareness Committee of Orchard Lake Middle School proposed that a multicultural community walk be held on the upcoming Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Holiday. Dr. Seymour Gretchko, Superintendent of West Bloomfield Schools, approved it upon request. Original design of the United We Walk logo was created by Orchard Lake Middle School students: Kinyel Ferguson and Crystal Roberson.