Lynn Cothren, human rights activist and former special assistant to Coretta Scott King, will be the keynote speaker on Sunday as the Franklin County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People hosts a luncheon honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The luncheon will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the Cowan Arts Center located at 301 Montgomery St. in Cowan.

Cothren has a deep history in the struggle for civil rights across multiple frontiers, and the Franklin County Branch of the NAACP is excited and deeply honored to have him as their keynote speaker for this event.

Cothren, who was born in Fayetteville, spent the early part of his career at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, where he ultimately served Mrs. King as a special assistant and a trusted advisor for nearly 23 years.

Mrs. King is the founder of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and Cochren credits her with igniting his activist stance, cultivating his worldview and providing him with the tools to apply nonviolence on behalf of the gay rights movement.

Cochren has appeared in interviews with “Larry King,” “Oprah Winfrey,” “ABC’s 20/20,” The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Since 2017, Cothren has used his talents as part of the executive team at the State of Tennessee Human Rights Commission where he focuses on logistics, education, outreach and general administration. In his role there as a special assistant, he works in partnership with staff on all facets of the agency including operations, the board of commissioners and the public.