Our dear friend and founding member of MLKSB passed away November 13, 2023.  She lived a life of “uplift” to our community and was a friend to many in Santa Barbara.  She was irreplaceable and will be deeply missed.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee Santa Barbara,
Board of Directors

Sojourner was a founding member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara and played a pivotal role in the development of the organization.  She campaigned from 1986 – 1988 for the City of Santa Barbara to recognize and honor the national MLK Jr. Day, which was made a federal holiday in January of 1986.  Sojourner was actively involved in all MLK holiday celebrations for the next twenty years.  In 2007, she was called on to be part of a more organized effort to plan the city’s celebration for the national holiday.  This directly let to the creation of the local Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara.

We are thrilled to announce the creation and unveiling of Colleen M. Kelly’s installation, “Poet’s Perch, Homage to Sojourner Kincaid Rolle”, at the Botanic Gardens, which took place recently.  The installation is located in the back country of the gardens and will be there until August of 2026.  A reservation is required in order to visit the Botanical Gardens due to parking limitations.   For reservations, please visit, https://sbbotanicgarden.org.

E. Onja Brown Lawson

As we look ahead, we are planning to dedicate a plaque in Sojourner’s honor, which will be placed on one of the King Palm trees, located in front of the SB Superior Court.  This plaque will serve as a lasting tribute to her memory and legacy. If you would like to be a part of this meaningful project, you can donations can be made at Go Fund Me.
https://gofund.me/00718a5c

The plaque will be ready early October and we will hold a dedication ceremony once it is in place.  We will notify you and hope you will join us in honoring Sojourner in this meaningful and permanent way.