A series of events commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s life are to be held in and around campus during the week of his birthday. Many of these events are sponsored through joint effort from MSU, the Starkville community and the Oktibbeha County Chapter of the NAACP in an effort to commemorate King and his achievements.
Beginning Wednesday, the Student Association Minority Student Affairs committee will set up tables in front of the Union, where they will pass out ribbons representing peace and information packets covering the major events in King’s life. The tables at the Union will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the Sanderson Center from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“The purpose of these events is to help make people aware of King’s dreams of peace for all races and how his dream relates to MSU,” Dan Coleman, head of the SA Minority Student Affairs committee, said.
The SA will also host a roundtable discussion Wednesday in the Union Ballroom at 7 p.m. The discussion, entitled “Building on the Dream,” will focus on discussing King’s dreams for race relations. The discussion will include comments from interim Vice President of Student Affairs Jimmy Abraham regarding MSU and African-American History, student-led discussion and audience participation. Melvin Ray, special assignment to the president, will serve as facilitator to head the roundtable discussion led by student leaders.
“Throughout King’s life, he fought for non-violence and equal rights for everyone,” SA minority Student Affairs committee member Genice Allen said.
With that in mind, MLK roundtable discussion is a way for students to commemorate the life and teachings of King, a wonderful and courageous man. It is a great opportunity for students from all walks of life to come together and discuss how we can better race relations in our society and how we can improve our campus by addressing social issues and community problems,” Allen said. “This is a way for us to bridge the gap between races and find a common ground.”
Several off-campus events will help celebrate King’s lifetime achievements. On Saturday Second Baptist Church, located on Yeates Street, will host a Songfestival at 6:30 p.m followed on Sunday by a candlelight service to be held at 7 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Hospital Road. Also, a memorial service is being held at Mount Pelier Baptist Church from noon to 1 p.m on Jan. 20.
On Monday morning, a MSU sponsored unity breakfast will be held at the Bost Extension Building at 7:30 a.m.
Walter Taylor, chair of the President’s Commission on the status of Minority, was asked to plan the breakfast.
Taylor said it is open to the entire community, not just those associated with the university.
“Last year there about 450 or even more that attended the 90 minute event,” Taylor said.
Interim President Charles Lee, Carson Cook, director of Office of diversity and equity programs, Parker Wiseman, SA president, Walter Diehl, chairman of MSU faculty senate and Betty Gentry, president of professional support staff and advisory council will be representing different areas of the MSU community.
Also on Jan. 20, the rally at the Courthouse begins at 2 p.m. at the Old Masonic Building on North Dr. Douglas Conner Drive (formerly North Washington) and proceeds to the Oktibbeha County Courthouse on Main Street. The Rev. William A. Head from the Second Baptist Church will then preside over a short program.
Ava Moore, member of the Chamber of Commerce Race Relations team, said of the community events, “We encourage all to come out to at least one or two events commemorating the life and great achievements of King,”
All events are free and open to the public.