While some students spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day sleeping in and enjoying a day off from school, others consider the time off a day to reflect and remember King's accomplishments.
Jade Baltimore, a senior journalism major, said it upsets
her to see students taking the day lightly.
Generally speaking
I do feel that most people take the day lightly and it's sad to me that people have forgotten what he stood for she said. I was talking to a friend the other day
and we were discussing how sad it is that streets named 'Martin Luther King Boulevard' or 'Martin Luther King Lane' are usually located in the 'ghetto' and littered with liquor stores and porn shops.
Though some people take it easy on the holiday, others choose to honor King's achievements in various ways including praying, reflecting with friends, attending church services or committing themselves to a day of community service.
Tiffany Bowden, a junior advertising major, used to live in Florida. In those days, she would spend the holiday visiting various locations throughout Alabama where events in the Civil Rights Movement took place, including the 16th Street Baptist Church, the site of a bombing. This year, Bowden plans on attending church services honoring King.
Bowden said King has inspired her in many ways.
King is definitely a source of inspiration; he had a charismatic spirit
she said. We should focus on his ideas
though
not just the person.
Baltimore also said she believes King's ideals have influenced her life.
He is definitely an inspirational figure
with his non-violent ideology
she said. I admire everything he stood for; what he spoke about affected everyone
not just people of color.
Recently, Baltimore and a friend have planned to start a campus-wide newsletter geared towards minorities -a project derived from King's political orientation.
The newsletter, titled FRAME (Fighters Revolting Against Mental Enslavement), will focus on minority event coverage on campus, the lingering effects of slavery and giving blacks a sense of history.
Some students think the world would be different if King were still alive. Lindsey Watson, a freshman political science major said King would be able to accomplish more now.
He would probably be doing more things with equality
