The annual Arthur "Pappy" Kennedy prayer breakfast kicked off its 21st year Monday.

The breakfast celebrates Orlando's first black elected official, Pappy Kennedy, on Martin Luther King Day every year. Kennedy was elected to Orlando City Council in 1972 and served until 1980.     

U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black was the keynote speaker at the breakfast.

"I think it's also very important to know that there were others who made significant contribution to the civil rights movement and Pappy Kennedy is certainly one of those," Black said.

The breakfast allows local political figures to celebrate and relate to two people considered pioneers of the civil rights movement.

Brevard County Commissioner Robin Fisher said she knows what it means to be one of the first black elected officials.

“I have something similar in common with Mr. Kennedy because I'm the first black African American elected member of Brevard County,” Fisher said. “Of course it's a different day and time that that happened.”

Black said Kennedy also has something in common with Martin Luther King.

"We're still celebrating what these two men meant to the community," Black said in his keynote address. "Their whole life and their mission was about bringing people together one nation under God so this even shows that their dream is a reality now."

In the spirit of Dr. King's legacy of public service, Monday was also named Parramore volunteer day.