Eastern Michigan University will host an annual, week-long celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy from Jan. 14 to 17.
2022 marks the 54th anniversary of King Jr’s assassination on April 4, 1968. The United States observed the first national holiday honoring King on Jan. 20, 1986, and it was also when EMU held its first MLK President’s luncheon.
EMU will honor its tradition of celebrating the life and legacy of King in a week-long celebration with a mix of in-person and virtual events. 2022’s theme is “Rising Together for Justice,” which is a topic event organizers believe will help race relations, according to EMU.
Steven Bryant, director of Diversity and Community Involvement at EMU, illustrates that actions speak louder than words regarding rising together for justice. The right actions steer society towards a goal beneficial to all, he said.
"Justice focuses on right action, done in the right way,“ Bryant said in a written statement. "When this is achieved, everyone benefits in society.”
Justin Hansford, Howard University School of Law professor of law and executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, will serve as EMU’s 2022 MLK Keynote Speaker in the Student Center Ballroom. Both in-person and streaming options will be available for the keynote speaker event.
Attendees of the celebrations can look forward to a wide range of events and activities, such as a celebration kickoff featuring the EMU forensic team and a community drive-in movie on Friday, Jan. 14. Other events include:
Saturday, Jan. 15:
- MLK Scholarship, Awards, and Essay Scholarship Ceremony at 3 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 16:
- MLK Academic Programs Conference Day 1 at 2 p.m.
- CloseUp Theatre Troupe Performance and Discussion at 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 17:
- MLK Academic Programs Conference Day 2 at 9 a.m.
- 35th annual MLK President’s Luncheon
- MLK Keynote Speaker Justin Hansford at 12:30 p.m.
EMU is offering scholarships and awards to students, including the Evans-Strand Peace Award, the MLK, Jr. Rising Together for Justice Scholarship Contest, the Presidential Difference Maker Scholarship, and the Humanitarian Award.
A complete list of events can be found on the celebration website.
