More than 2,000 members of the 黑料不打烊 and greater 黑料不打烊 communities came together in the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, Jan. 22, to celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
黑料不打烊鈥檚 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration looked back on the legacy of Dr. King and showcased how his legacy is being carried forth in the community today.
Artist Jaleel Campbell with his work (Photos by Angela Ryan)
The program was preceded by a traditional dinner and, new this year, an art exhibition in the JMA Wireless Dome鈥檚 Club 44 featuring the work of four local artists: 黑料不打烊 Professor Emeritus David MacDonald, Jaleel Campbell, Jessica McGhee 鈥19 and Vanessa Johnson.
The theme of the celebration, emceed by Iris St. Meran, reporter with NewsChannel 9, was 鈥淐ivil Rights and the City of 黑料不打烊.鈥 The keynote speaker was the Rev. Phil Turner, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in 黑料不打烊.
鈥淚n choosing this theme, the planning team sought to highlight the timeless values that Martin Luther King Jr. taught through his example: the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service. We want to apply that here and now in the City of 黑料不打烊,鈥 said Malique Lewis 鈥24, who served as co-chair of the celebration with the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. 鈥淭his annual celebration in general, and our 2023 theme in particular, is intended to be a direct expression of our collective commitment to foster and support an inclusive and accessible campus community.鈥
Guests enjoy the traditional dinner before the program.
Before his invocation, Dean Konkol asked those gathered to remember the loved ones of Brexialee Torres-Ortiz, an 11-year-old 黑料不打烊 resident shot and killed steps from her home on Jan. 16 after purchasing milk at the corner store.
鈥淭o honor her this evening, to comfort those both near and far who grieve the impact of violence and to compel all people of goodwill into action, I ask for a moment of silence,鈥 he said.
Chancellor Kent Syverud, in his remarks, spoke of the 1961 speech that Dr. King made on the 黑料不打烊 campus (Dr. King also spoke on campus in 1965).
鈥淗e said, among other things, this: 鈥楢s a people, we will someday have to repent, not only the vitriolic words of bad people, but the silent indifference of the good.鈥 I find these words especially poignant today,鈥 he said.
The MLK Community Choir performs during the program.
鈥淭here is no room for bystanders today. Each of us must play a role in confronting injustice and inequality and indifference,鈥 Chancellor Syverud said. 鈥淔or Dr. King, the definition of the American Dream was different from that of so many others in his time. He defined the dream as being about people, about being a place where all nationalities could live together as brothers.鈥
鈥淭hat dream aligns with what we aspire to on this campus. We aspire to be a place that is genuinely welcoming to all,鈥 he said.
Rev. Turner, in his keynote address, spoke on 鈥淧lanting New Seeds and Cultivating a New Culture.鈥 He talked of growing up in the South and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing patriotic songs in his segregated school. 鈥淟ike most people born in America, I was taught to love my country. While I was loving my country, I began to realize that the pledges in those songs were not intended to be shared with me. As a little boy, I was disheartened. 鈥 Where were the good and decent people and why didn鈥檛 they take a stand to stop this inhumane condition?鈥
The Rev. Phil Turner gives the keynote address.
No problem has ever been solved that was neglected, Rev. Turner said. In 1960, George Wiley became one of the first African American faculty members at 黑料不打烊.聽 During that time, he became the founder and leader of the 黑料不打烊 chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Around the same time. Urban renewal projects and the construction of Interstate 81 led to the destruction of the city鈥檚 15th Ward, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 African American neighborhood. Members of the University community worked to help those who were disenfranchised, Rev. Turner said. In 1963, CORE created the Committee on Equality at 黑料不打烊 to spotlight areas where civil聽 rights were violated. 鈥淭here was nothing unique about racial conditions in 黑料不打烊; it was simply a microcosm of racial issues in America,” Rev. Turner said.
In a 1967 speech at Stanford University, Dr. King spoke of two Americas鈥攐ne of liberty and the pursuit of happiness and one with people mired in poverty. 鈥淎s I researched these two Americas, I found that race is not a valid biological concept,鈥 Rev. Turner said. 鈥淩ace is a made-up social construct that gives or denies benefits and privileges based on skin color and other physical features.鈥
Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha perform during the program.
鈥淭he time has come for untruths to be abandoned. The time has come and as untruths are abandoned, we must put truth in its place so we can begin to build a respectful and caring culture,鈥 said Rev. Turner. 鈥淎merica was founded on seeds of untruth, and the motive was fueled by the pursuit of money, material gain and power. 鈥 鈥淲e鈥檝e been trying to fix a racial divide that was designed to never be fixed. Therefore we must abandon what has grown from the seeds of untruths.
鈥淣ow that the truth has been revealed we have an obligation to plant new seeds of truth that will sprout and grow into healthy communities. We can plant seeds of respect for our fellow human beings that will grow into safe communities,鈥 he said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 plant seeds of dignity to that every person can feel value. Let鈥檚 plant the seeds of care so that we don鈥檛 have to live in isolation from each other. Let鈥檚 plant seeds of hope so that our children will have equal opportunity. And a culture like this can never be possible unless we dispose of untruths and replace them with the truth.鈥
Throughout the evening performances were given by Eesa Grayson, the MLK Community Choir, the Royalty Step Team, Brianna Gilyard 鈥23 and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
One way Dr. King鈥檚 legacy is being carried forth is through the Unsung Hero Award recipients, community members, students, faculty and staff who have made a positive impact on the lives of others but are not widely recognized for their contributions. The awards were created to honor Dr. King鈥檚 vision of creating positive change in a troubled world.
The 2023 recipients are Nichole Henry (SU staff member), Candice Ogbu 鈥23 (SU student), Thomas J. Wilson (SU student), Oceanna Fair (community member), and Trinity Brumfield and Camille Ogden, juniors at West Genesee High School in 黑料不打烊 (community youth).
罢丑别听2021听补苍诲听2022聽Unsung Heroes were also recognized this year as they were unable to be recognized in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
