Colleges and universities across the country are preparing to celebrate the legacy of a civil rights icon who championed integration and transformed America’s
Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett
Every third Monday in January, millions of Americans pay homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and this year is no different. In fact, some college leaders say that with the continued attack on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, now is the time more than ever to remember King’s contributions.
Seton Hall University in New Jersey, decided to revamp their annual MLK program a few years ago, citing the need for change amid a challenging political climate.
The college now commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through the Martin Luther King Day symposium, an academic credit workshop where both students can earn academic or continuing education credits for their participation in the event. The course is offered at no additional cost, regardless of a student’s credit load.
“After the election of 2016 we thought America needed an upgrade,” said Rev. Dr. Forrest Pritchett, who directs the university’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Program and Gospel Choir. “We thought it could be an educational moment and that it's about time that we move away from what we might call our assumptions about things and get to the real nitty gritty of what makes America tick.”
Pritchett said that the school’s annual MLK celebration is rooted in a tradition dating back to 1970, and added that the MLK Leadership Program at Seton Hall integrates current events with a focus on servant leadership, Africana Studies, and fostering a historical understanding of King’s enduring legacy. This year’s event will include a keynote speech by Dr. Drew G.I. Hart, an associate professor of theology and program director of Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice at Messiah University.
At King’s alma mater—Morehouse College in Atlanta—school leaders emphasized that the annual commemoration in honor of their most famous alumnus, provides the college with the opportunity to connect King’s life to the foundation of their own legacy as the nation’s only historically Black institution for men.
King attended Morehouse, graduating with a degree in sociology in 1948.
Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries
“Dr. King's life and legacy are central to our mission at Morehouse College as a historically Black liberal arts institution,” said Dr. Vicki Crawford, director of the Martin Luther King collection at Morehouse. “We see it in the work that we do with the King collection and our Martin Luther King scholars.”
Crawford said that students are able to read King’s words firsthand and formulate their own conclusions about the leader and the relevance of his message in contemporary times. Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries—a prominent historian and professor at The Ohio State University will deliver this year’s lecture. Jeffries, who is the author of the Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt, is a 1994 graduate of Morehouse.
Morehouse’s weeklong celebration kicks off with a college-wide forum on Jan. 16, led by Dr. David Wall Rice, a psychology professor at Morehouse.
Leaders of the historic MLK Commemorative Commission founded in 1982 in Knoxville, Tennessee, will partner with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to host its annual flagship MLK Awards luncheon and Leadership Educational Symposium.
The commission holds a weeklong series of events annually to honor the legacy of King.
Clarence Vaughn, director of the Office of Access and Community Connections at UT and a member of the MLK commission, said that the partnership not only increases student participation at the events, but also gives residents in the surrounding community the opportunity to support the university and visit campus.
“A lot of work is being done with our access and engagement officers, including myself to really have that community engagement piece,” said Vaughn. “But this gives us an opportunity to do that by inviting all communities to come and celebrate a meaningful event, such as the King week celebration. So, we are excited to host it here, and really it's been a great partnership.”
Partnering with the city of Knoxville, Vaughn added, has proven successful.
"Coupling that with the volunteer spirit of our institution, the life and legacy of Dr. King, I think it's just a good match that helps support our initiatives as we try to be a part of the beloved community,” he said.
For 25 years, Wayne State University in Michigan, has held its annual King program. This year’s theme, “Sixty Years After Selma and We’re Still Marching,” will mark the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” where dozens of protestors—including the late Congressman John Lewis who was a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)--was brutally attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
“Dr. King dedicated his life to achieving civil rights for all people. By continuing to annually recognize his dedication and sacrifice, we are honoring his memory and reaffirming our commitment to his ideals,” said Stacie Clayton, director of Community Affairs for Wayne State University.
The late Dr. Arthur Johnson, who served as a senior vice president at Wayne State University and was a classmate of King at Morehouse in the 1940s, created the first MLK Tribute at the school. A leader of the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, Johnson passed away in 2011.
Like Morehouse—Florida A&M University—another historically Black institution, will host a convocation, allowing students, faculty, staff and the local community in Tallahassee to gather to assess King's legacy of civic engagement and advocacy.
“Dr. King has a poignant quote that says, ‘Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.’ His life and his commitment to the Civil Rights Movement reminds us that we all can make a difference when we experience challenges that need to be addressed,” said Alonda Thomas, vice president and chief marketing & communications officer at FAMU.
