Eastern Michigan University will honor Martin Luther King,
Jr. with a nearly weeklong celebration of events that includes
discussions, performances, a prominent keynote speaker
and a memorial march. This year's theme is "Our Revolution...Our
Responsibility."
Events begin Wednesday, Jan. 14, and are scheduled through
the actual MLK Day celebration Monday, Jan. 19, highlighted
by the President's Luncheon, which will feature keynote
speaker Ed Gordon, an Emmy-winning television broadcaster
and founder of Daddy's Promise.
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Gordon |
Gordon will present his keynote (title unavailable
at press time) Monday, Jan. 19, 10-11:30 a.m., in the Student
Center Auditorium.
Gordon is currently host of the nationally syndicated
TV show, "Our World With Black Enterprise," and president
of the Gordon Media Group, a multi-service production company.
He also created Daddy's Promise, an initiative that encourages
fathers to become deeply involved in the lives of their
daughters. The project was born after he wrote a story
for Essence magazine (December 2006) in which he described
the close relationship he shares with his daughter, Taylor.
The daylong celebration begins with a breakfast from 7:45-9:30
a.m., followed by Gordon's keynote, the President's Luncheon
and academic breakout sessions through 3:50 p.m. The late
afternoon and early evening includes performances by the
CloseUP Theatre Troupe, an alpha march to the MLK bust
near Welch Hall and an afterglow event.
Tickets for the President's Luncheon are $19 for students
and $29 for general admission, and may be purchased at
the Convocation Center, Student Center, and Quirk
Box Office, all at 487-2282. Attendees will need to specify
a meat or vegetarian option.
Additional events scheduled are free and open to the public
unless otherwise noted.
The schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, Jan. 14
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MLK Bust |
MLK Film: "The Audacity of Hope," a film about MLK, will
be shown at 6 p.m. in the Student Center Auditorium.
Thursday, Jan. 15
Town Hall Meeting: "Social Justice Challenges," a town
hall meeting, is scheduled 4-5:30 p.m. in room 310 of the
Student Center. The College of Education's Diversity Council
sponsors this event.
Friday, Jan. 16
Color of Drums: The 8th Annual Color
of the Drums is scheduled 8-10 p.m. in Pease Auditorium.
Lock-In: The Rec/IM hosts Lock-In 2009 from 10 p.m. to
2 a.m. An EMU identification is required for entry.
Saturday, Jan. 17
Hip Hop Explosion: The 10th Annual Hip Hop Explosion is
scheduled at 7 p.m. in Pease Auditorium. See a talent competition
with performances that reflect the value and spirit of
Dr King. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 18
"Nothing Said...": Enjoy a celebration of spirit and gospel
from 5-8 p.m. in Pease Auditorium.
Monday, Jan. 19 (MLK Day Celebration)
Unless otherwise noted, all events are located in the
Student Center .
MLK Breakfast: A breakfast is scheduled
7:45-9:30 a.m., in room 310 of the Student Center.
Keynote Speech: Keynote
speaker Ed Gordon presents his speech from 10-11:30
a.m. in the Student Center Auditorium.
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PRESIDENT'S LUNCHEON: A large crowd gathered
for
the 2008 President's Luncheon, the main event
during EMU's MLK Day Celebration. This year's
luncheon
is scheduled Monday, Jan. 19, 11:50 a.m.
to 1:50
p.m. in the Student Center Grand Ballroom.
Tickets
are $19 for students and $29 for adults. |
President's Luncheon: The annual President's
Luncheon is scheduled from 11:50 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. in the
Student Center Grand Ballroom. Gordon will present brief
comments at the luncheon. Student and adult winners of
the MLK Humanitarian Awards will be announced. The award
recognizes individuals from within the University and local
community who exemplify the values and ideals of Dr. King.
Tickets are $19 for students and $29 for adults.
Concurrent events, 2-2:50 p.m.
CrossTown Theatre Troupe presents "Our
Community...Our Voice," a performance of
youth stories and reflections created for the Martin
Luther King, Jr. holiday, that will take place in rom
310 A/B. The group, composed of Ypsilanti youth who create
original pieces about and for the Ypsilanti community,
has a mission to create and engage the voice of youth
through theatre. This session is appropriate for ages
10 and up. Jenny Sawtelle and Sheila Kelsey, co-directors
of CrossTown Theatre Troupe, will direct.
African American Biography and Fiction
for Young Readers. This
session will provide books of biography and fiction for
upper elementary and young adult readers (approximately
ages 8 to 18). This session is for adults.
Margaret Best, associate professor, reference librarian
and African-American specialist at Halle Library, will
present in room 320.
During this PowerPoint, "The Journey from Student
to Professional: What Your Classes May Not Cover," presenters
will discuss why some students of color struggle to get
fair consideration for professional and academic opportunities.
Topics and activities will include some of the keys to
being viewed as an exceptional candidate, student and
employee. Attendees will review examples and demonstrations
of how some students commit "professional suicide" even
before an interview. Presenters will offer techniques,
tips and "not-so-common" practices of serious
students who wish to develop into serious professionals.
Mark Jackson, director of Holman Learning Center, will
present in room 330.
Within the context of the historic election of Barack
Obama, "In Our Lifetime: From King
to Obama" will be a
reflection on where we have been, where we are, and where
we are going with regard to social welfare issues in the
United States. An elder who has been
a participant/observer in the making of our history as
well as a young professor of social policy will present
their perspectives. The session also will include a presentation
of a student's research about biracial people
that will help to illuminate the implications of having
a biracial president. A local political leader will be
the respondent on this panel. The question of whether we
are living in a post-racial reality, along with other social
change possibilities, will be addressed. The importance
of citizen engagement in the process of change will be
highlighted. A number of EMU social work professors and
McNair Scholars will present in room 352.
"Beyond Nonviolence through Intercultural Language
Socialization" will present several innovative
ways that native English speakers of diverse cultural backgrounds
and international students learning English collaborate
in a civic activity performed for the common social good.
James Perren, an EMU assistant professor of foreign
languages and bilingual studies, presents in room 304.
"The Trial of Martin Luther King and His
Co-conspirators: 1956 A mini 'Reacting to the Past' game": In
this session, students "act out" condensed versions
of the roles and courtroom scenes that they "played" during
the fall 2008 Reacting to the Past "game" in HISTORY 319:
The Civil Rights Movement. Students, by taking on
characters from 1956, will act out
the Montgomery bus boycott and the Jim Crow version of
white supremacy that the civil rights movement challenged
and eventually overthrew. The game is based on the famed
methodology of students approaching history through elaborate
role-playing games, all centered on a moment of sharp conflicts
and clashing ideas, from the past. Mark Higbee, an
EMU professor of history, and students from his HISTORY
319 course will present in the Kiva Room.
Concurrent events, 3-3:50 p.m.
"Lift Every Voice: Remembering the
Life and Works of James Weldon Johnson" will
focus on
the significant contributions of James Weldon Johnson. These include overseeing
the expansion of the NAACP from 1917 to 1929; penning
the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (which
became the Negro national anthem); writing several notable works of literature,
including the novel "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" (1912) and the
poetry collection "God's Trombones" (1927); and editing three anthologies, "The
Book of American Negro Poetry" (1922), "The Book of American Negro Spirituals" (1925)
and "The Second Book of American Negro Spirituals" (1926). These accomplishments
will be highlighted, placed into historical context and given life through readings/performance
by EMU students and staff. Bob Stevens, humanities librarian, will present in
room 310 A/B.
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A CLOSER LOOK: Eastern Michigan University's
CloseUP Theatre Troupe will perform twice in
the Student Center Auditorium as part of EMU's
MLK Day Celebration events. |
The sessions, "African American Biography and Fiction
for Young Readers," "The Journey from Student to Professional:
What Your Classes May Not Cover," "In Our Lifetime:
From King to Obama," "Beyond Nonviolence through Intercultural
Language Socialization," and "The Trial of Martin Luther
King and his Co-conspirators: A Mini-'Reacting to the
Past' Game" will be repeated at this time.
CloseUP Theatre: The CloseUP Theatre
Troupe performs 4-4:45 p.m. and again, from 6-6:45 p.m.,
in the Student Center Auditorium.
Alpha March: An Alpha March is scheduled
from 5-5:30 p.m. Join the walk from the Student Center
to the MLK bust near Welch Hall and back.
Afterglow: An Afterglow event is scheduled, starting at
6:30 p.m. in room 300 of the Student Center. Enjoy a post-march
reception and an opportunity to mix, mingle and reflect
on the week's events and the life of Dr. King.
For more information, contact MLK Committee co-chairs,
Kay Woodiel, dwoodiel@emich.edu;
Greg Peoples, gpeoples@emich.edu;
or go to http://www.emich.edu/mlk/events.html
