Wright State will honor Martin Luther King Jr. with on- and off-campus events

Wright State will honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a brunch, marches and video screening Jan. 15-20.

Wright State will honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a brunch, marches and video screening Jan. 15-20.

Wright State University will honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with many events, including a brunch, campus march and rally, a video screening and a city-wide march and rally in Dayton. Events begin Friday, Jan. 15, and continue through Wednesday, Jan. 20.

Wright State students, faculty and staff are invited to hear Pastor Dion Sampson speak at the MLK brunch in the Student Union Atrium on Jan. 15 at 10 a.m.

Seats are limited and registration is required. To register, contact Edward Depp, office service coordinator at the Bolinga Black Cultural Resource Center, at 937-775-5645 or Bolinga-center@wright.edu.

Edward Twyman, director of the Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, is particularly looking forward to students, faculty, staff and alumni attending Dayton’s Citywide MLK March and Rally on Monday, Jan. 18.

“This collaborative event helps build a strong sense of the beloved community espoused by Dr. King and provides an opportunity to begin one-to-one connections with people from different groups and backgrounds,” Twyman said. “Building relationships and connections create the foundation for change.”

On Monday, faculty, staff, students and alumni should meet at 9 a.m. in front of the Student Union and carpool to Dayton’s MLK march and rally. Participants are encouraged to wear Wright State clothing.

The registration deadline is Jan. 15 at noon. Contact Edward Depp at 937-775-5645 or Bolinga-center@wright.edu to register.

On Tuesday, Jan. 19, a student-led campus march and rally will highlight King’s Six Steps of Non-Violence for social and interpersonal change. Marchers should gather at 10 a.m. in the Millett Hall Atrium.

MLK Week will conclude with a screening of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on Jan. 20 at 3 p.m. in the Millett Hall Atrium. The event will include a discussion using nonviolence action to change unjust laws. The film was produced by the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University.

The screening was the most-attended event last year. It will be led by Tracy Snipe, associate professor of political science.

“Hopefully, participants will come away with knowledge of the legacy and commitment of the second black American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts to achieve equality for blacks and the poor of all races,” Twyman said. “Participants will experience firsthand community service-related activities occurring during the time set-aside for the first national holiday to honor an individual black American. But even more, participants can better understand the micro-aggressions and conditions facing blacks on campus and in the country. Participants can also reflect on or answer King’s question of ‘what are you doing for others?’”

All events are free although registration is required for the MLK brunch.

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