Remembering Dr. King
Liz Babiarz
This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. day holds a special significance for many Americans. President-elect Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the nation’s first African-American president one day after the holiday commemorating King’s life.
“Here is a true example of what King asked for in his historic speech in 1963, when he said we should judge people by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin,” said Charles Jones, founding chair of Georgia State’s Department of African-American Studies. “We’re seeing this at its pinnacle, and I think King would be very pleased with that.”
Georgia State University is hosting several events Jan. 15-22 that are open to the public to help community members reflect on the nation’s progress on civil rights and King’s legacy.
Kicking off the week will be the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation at 4 p.m. on Jan. 15. The event is free and will be held in the Georgia State Student Center Ballroom.
Best-selling author Michael Eric Dyson is the keynote speaker. Dyson, a sociology professor at Georgetown University, will discuss the topic, “Dr. King for the 21st Century.”
“As a renowned scholar and author, we feel Professor Dyson is the perfect person to present to today’s college students and help them understand the relevance of Dr. King’s death and legacy to their own lives,” said Cara Dawn Byford, campus events advisor.
The Torch of Peace Award and the Hosea Williams Award for Community Activism will also be presented during convocation. Dyson will hold a book signing at the end of the event.
King’s life will be remembered through other activities as well. The Office of Student Life and Leadership/Intercultural Relations is offering free, guided tours of the King Center, a nationally recognized historic site, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 16. Shuttles from the Student Center to the King Center will be departing every 30 minutes.
To advocate King’s emphasis on service, Georgia State’s Office of Civic Engagement is organizing volunteer service projects from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 19 that focus on children, the homeless and other community members in need. Sign up by calling the office at 404-413-1550. Hunger, homelessness and poverty will also be highlighted during the program Project Empty Bowls, held in the Student Center Court Salon from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 21. This interactive forum allows participants to engage in experiential activities, making poverty a personal issue.
The university will come together to experience Obama’s inauguration. Faculty, students and staff members are invited to gather in the Student Center Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 19 to watch the historic event.
The week will wrap up with a lunch and learn on “Civil Rights Around the World” from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 22 in room 485 of the University Center. Students from Haiti and Georgia, and individuals with Amnesty International, will talk about civil rights issues in various countries. That evening, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the university will host the second annual MLK Dedication, a program infusing dancing, spoken word and song to give new life to King’s legacy. The event will conclude with a student reenactment of the 1968 “I've Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
“King certainly laid out a code of ethics,” Jones said. “We can all make a commitment to improving the lives of those who are not as fortunate as we are.”
The week’s events are coordinated by the Office of Student Life and Leadership/Intercultural Relations and are sponsored by student activity fees. For more information on all the events during the MLK Commemorative week, visit: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwicr/mlkConvocation.htm