New England NAACP to honor Mel King

Former state representative and community leader Mel King will be inducted today into the Civil Rights Hall of Fame of the New England Area Conference of the NAACP. King is an adjunct professor in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and he founded the South End Technology Center. The Hall of Fame will also posthumously honor New Hampshire state representative Lionel Jackson. “Historians have failed to give due acclaim to the enormous contribution of these leaders,’’ said Juan Cofield, the organization’s president. The ceremony will be held at the Marriott Boston in Newton at 6 p.m. Lawrence O’Donnell, the anchor of “The Last Word’’ on MSNBC, will be the keynote speaker.