The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County announced that Dr. Boyce Watkins will give the keynote address at the 31st annual Prayer Breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The breakfast will be the highlight of a series of events from Wednesday, January 11 through Monday, January 16, 2012.

Dr. Boyce Watkins will give the keynote address at the 31st annual Prayer Breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 The Prayer Breakfast, which will take place at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, January 14, at the Grove Park Inn, is among the largest public celebrations in Western North Carolina, attracting more than 1,000 citizens and distinguished guests to the historic inn each year, and it is the second-largest King Holiday celebration in the southeast, second only to Atlanta’s black-tie gala.

Watkins, professor of finance at Syracuse University, is often called “the People’s Scholar” for his approach to investing the intellectual underpinnings of his financial expertise with a sociological flavor. Specializing in financial psychology, educational motivation, and black social commentary, he has appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC News, and BET and written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Black Enterprise magazine. His renowned research at Syracuse University has been cited by Forbes, Essence, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and many other outlets. He has been a visiting scholar at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in China, The Center for European Economic Research in Germany, and Carnegie-Mellon University.

Previous keynote speakers have included writer and commentator Donna Brazile, U.S. Representatives Shirley Chisolm and Walter Fauntroy, news correspondents Michele Martin, Leonard Pitts, Jr., and Juan Williams, and Civil Rights leaders Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr., Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, and U.S. Civil Rights Commission chairperson Dr. Mary Frances Berry.

The Prayer Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. and includes music by the Asheville Unity & Fellowship Choir, directed by Alaysia Black Hackett. Tickets to the breakfast are $30 for adults and $15 for youth under 13, subject to availability at the door. Additional information is available by phone at (828) 335-6896 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The King holiday celebration events are cosponsored by the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and many area businesses, organizations, and faith communities. For more details on the weekend events, contact Oralene Simmons, chairperson, at (828) 281-1624, or the MLK Association office at (828) 335-6896.

Dr. Boyce Watkins

Dr. Boyce Watkins is one of the most highly sought-after African American scholars in the world today. Dr. Watkins earned both BA and BS degrees with a triple major in Finance, Economics, and Business Management, and on graduation he was selected by The Wall Street Journal as the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Finance. He then earned a Masters Degree in Mathematical Statistics and a PhD from Ohio State University.

Seriously committed to social justice, Dr. Watkins has been an outspoken critic of social and racial inequality. His fourth book, What if George Bush were a Black Man? has been featured in the national media as one of the most riveting statements in modern social commentary. His commitment to inner-city youth is embodied by his role as National Director of the Step Up and Go to College Program. As a former struggling high school student, Dr. Watkins formed this program to give students the motivation and tools to succeed at the college level.

Dr. Watkins is redefining the role of the public scholar in American society. Known as “The People’s Scholar,” Dr. Watkins presents an unprecedented blending of financial theory, social commentary, and down-to-earth socio-political thought.