Ohio University will hold multiple events throughout the week to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion sponsored the events, which are planned by the university's MLK Jr. Celebration Planning Committee. The committee is made up of faculty, staff, administrators, students and student organizations.
Chris Caldwell, the administrative specialist for the department of African American studies, said the committee “began meeting in August, before students arrived on campus."
"There are plenty of preparations that go into the component parts of the celebration week," Caldwell said. "This year, we have nine activities/events over the month of January”.
As the co-chairs of the planning committee, Caldwell said he and Tyrone Carr “facilitate the movement of resources between subcommittee groups, coordinate efforts with internal and external partners and keep meetings focused”.
MLK Day will begin with a silent march. The 17th annual march, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha, begins in front of Galbreath Memorial Chapel and ends at the Baker University Center’s fourth-floor entrance. Carr said the march “represents what King’s legacy was about” by capturing what is was like for the people of the time to march and hold up signs showing their support.
“(The march and brunch) is the cornerstone event for the entire week,” Caldwell said. “Hundreds of folks from around Athens, OU and the community at large, attend.”
The annual MLK Jr. Celebratory Brunch, co-sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha and the Between Love and Hate theme, will occur after the march. The brunch will include a performance by the Singing Sensations Youth Choir, made up of students from ages 5 to 18, from Baltimore, Maryland. Carr said the committee decided to change this year’s lineup at the brunch by “celebrating in song” the life of MLK. The choir’s website explains their group as “not simply a gospel choir”.
“(Their) repertoire consists of choral, patriotic and pop music, spirituals, show tunes, children and freedom songs, Motown, as well as songs in different languages,” Hollie Hood-Mincey, the director and co-founder of Singing Sensations said. “We will take the audience on a journey.”
Next, a social justice-themed open mic night will be Thursday at Casa Nueva. The event welcomes any and all performers willing to showcase their work that follows the social justice theme.
Concluding the events for the week will be the MLK Jr. Day of Service. The day works as an opportunity for anyone that is willing to volunteer their services by helping pack the collected school supply items for delivery. Those interested can sign up to participate on Org Sync.
As the planning came to an end, Carr credited the committee members for planning each and every event.
“We celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and connect contemporary efforts for social justice, art, equality, etc. to the larger Civil Rights Movement. Not just from 50 years ago but through time,” Caldwell said.
