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This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration
began early in the month of January. Starting with the arrival of activist/vanguard
Amiri Baraka. Baraka’s lecture on January 10th focused on issues
surrounding the current situation in the US and abroad. Throughout the
week Mr. Baraka visited several classes where he engaged the students
with his poetry and responded to a variety of questions.
A Sample of Baraka's Poetry On the 15th there was a faculty panel entitled “What would MLK think?” This year’s events went well beyond the simplicity of a man with a dream and detailed the influence King had on other movements, especially the women’s and the Gay/Lesbian movements. History professor Martin Sommers facilitated the event, and the panel consisted of Henry Alley, Jayna Brown, Matt Garcia, and Lecturer Tim McMahon. The faculty panel discussed the role of those around King during the movement and the importance of putting Dr. King’s work in historical context. During the week of January 21 there was an event at the Hult center highlighting author Nathan McCall and the African American Dance Troupe Phila-Danco. On the 23rd there was a birthday cake and a candlelight vigil sponsored by the Black Student Union in the University’s EMU piano lounge and amphitheater. Mark Harris from Lane Community College and University of Oregon Professor Jayna Brown spoke during the celebration and vigil. The week of events concluded with an awards ceremony honoring exemplary faculty, staff, and administrators for their efforts on diversity affairs on campus. Finally on the 25th the Black Student Union and the Vietnamese Student Association held the first Unity dinner and dance in the University of Oregon Collier House. The dinner and dance was intended to bring the various students and ethnic student unions together in honor of Dr. King. The month long celebration was a complete success and was enjoyed by hundreds. The MLK committee would like to thank the President’s Office, Anne Leavitt, Steve Morozumi, the BSU staff, the Office of Student Life (Diversity Programs), the Muslim Student Association, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Theater and English Department, Lane Community College, and the Creative Writing Department. We would also like to acknowledge Linda King’s work in planning and organizing the MLK awards ceremony and we would like to recognize the winners; Carla Gary, Michael Jeffries, Wendy Mitchell, and Anita Weiss. |