Manchester to mark 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. speech on Feb. 1
On Feb. 1, 2018, it will be exactly 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his address “The Future of Integration” at Manchester University. It was his last speech at a campus before he was slain.
The University has planned several events that day to honor King’s legacy. Those listed are free and open to the public:
10 a.m. – The Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Lake, senior pastor at Union Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, will speak in the auditorium at the Fort Wayne, Ind., campus, 10627 Diebold Road. His topic is “The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Love, Peace and Courage.”
2 p.m., College Avenue and East Street, North Manchester, Ind. – Groundbreaking ceremony for the Jean Childs Young Intercultural Center, named for the educator and human rights activist who graduated from Manchester in 1954.
2 to 4 p.m., Link Gallery in Winger Hall, North Manchester campus – A reception will open the month-long exhibit, “Bending Toward Justice” that will include alumni stories of peace and justice. The exhibit will feature an original portrait of Dr. King by Jeff Diesburg, MU assistant professor of art; MU Archives photographs of Dr. King’s visit; and a short documentary video about 1967 graduate Ted Studebaker.
7 p.m. in Cordier Auditorium on the North Manchester campus – The keynote speaker for the annual MLK Remembrance and Rededication Ceremony is the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. This special program will include reflections from four alumni who had lunch with Dr. King that day in 1968 and music by Chris Ford & Power of Praise.
Food is available for purchase at the North Manchester campus at Haist Commons, Wilbur’s, Sisters and The Oaks. In Haist, lunch is available from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
More MLK 50 events are planned throughout the academic year.
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For more information, contact Michael Dixon, MU chief diversity officer and director of Intercultural Services, at MGDixon@manchester.edu.
About Manchester University
Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers more than 60 areas of academic study to nearly 1,600 students in undergraduate programs, a Master of Athletic Training, a Master of Pharmacogenomics and a four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy. It has students from 20 nations and is home to the world's first undergraduate peace studies program, established in 1948. Learn more about the private, northern Indiana school at www.manchester.edu.
January 2018