| Martin Luther King Jr. Events Scheduled for Jan. 26
The university continues its innovative commemoration of the national holiday honoring the civil rights leader by hosting events the week following the national holiday, to better involve students, faculty, staff and area communities, and to usher in Black History Month activities. The theme of the 2006 events, “The Unfinished Journey,” refers to the work that still must be done to fulfill the dreams of equality for all people and to preserve the rights already established, says Dr. Steve O. Michael, Kent State’s vice provost for diversity and academic initiatives. “At Kent State, we recognize the strength of diversity, which is a core value of the university and the administration of President Carol A. Cartwright. This commemoration is another important opportunity to develop cross-cultural understanding and skills,” Michael says.
Cartwright adds, “It has been truly gratifying to see a growing understanding of, and appreciation for, the values that Dr. King taught and translated into action — civility, courage, compassion and community service. This annual event celebrates those values as it reflects Kent State’s commitment to building institutional diversity, fostering a supportive environment for all community members, and serving the public good.”
All members of the university community are encouraged to attend. Events will be held in the ballroom of the Kent Student Center on the Kent Campus, and are free and open to the public. To learn more about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, stay tuned to next week’s e-Inside video. For more information, contact the Office of Diversity and Academic Initiatives at 330-672-2442. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Manning Marable Dr. Manning Marable, a noted author and scholar, will deliver the keynote address. Since 1993 he has been professor of public affairs, political science, history and African American studies at Columbia University. From 1993 to 2003, Marable was founding director of the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia. Marable is a national leader in the development of Web-based educational resources on the African American experience. Since 1976, he has written a political commentary series, “Along the Color Line,” that appears in more than 400 newspapers and journals worldwide. Panel Discussion: Community and civic leaders
Tentative schedule for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day public events:
8:30 a.m. Student check-in and registration
9 a.m. Opening remarks and musical performance
9:15 a.m. Student presentations begin
10:30 a.m. Dance and musical performance
11 a.m. Student awards ceremony
11:20 a.m. Musical performance
1 p.m. Panel presentation: community and civic leaders
2:30 p.m. Dance performance
3 p.m. Keynote speaker: Dr. Manning Marable
4:15 p.m. Closing remarks: Dr. Carol A. Cartwright
Student Competition: The Unfinished Journey Students from several area schools will compete in categories including essay, poetry, fine arts and music competitions. The theme, “The Unfinished Journey,” was given to participating schools at the beginning of the school year, and students had the opportunity to compete among themselves, says Michael. Confirmed participating schools include Buchtel and Firestone High Schools in Akron; Theodore Roosevelt in Kent; Ravenna High School; and Streetsboro High School. To learn more about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, watch next week’s e-Inside video feature. For more information, contact the Office of Diversity and Academic Initiatives at 330-672-2442.  |
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