CHAPEL HILL — From rallies to pot luck dinners, from oratory contests to candlelight vigils, UNC students and employees will mingle with community members in a series of events to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. next month.
MLK Day traditionally has been a time surrounded by civic and service events on the UNC campus, and this year is no different. Following are the events that are planned this year:
Jan. 18
- Martin L. King Jr. Day Rally, March, Service — 9 a.m. at the Franklin Street Post Office & Court Building.
The UNC Chapter and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will sponsor its annual Martin L. King Jr. Day Rally, March and Worship Service. Everyone is welcome to join them for a peaceful rally, followed with a march down Franklin Street that starts at 10:15 a.m. The march will end at First Baptist Church, where the worship service will start at 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact Brittany Miller at brittani@email.unc.edu.
- Unity Dinner — 5 p.m. in the Great Hall.
In the spirit of Dr. King’s commitment to bridge gaps between people from all walks of life, the sponsors of this event will present the 3rd annual MLK Jr. Potluck Unity Dinner. Carolina students, staff, and faculty from an array of organizations are invited to share a meal, make connections and engage in conversations about Dr. King’s legacy in contemporary society. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to attend.
All participants must register via e-mail to mlkunitydinner@gmail.com. For more information, contact Preston Smith at psmith10@email.unc.edu.
- “He Was a Poem, He Was a Song” — 7 p.m. in the Hitchcock Multipurpose Room, Stone Center.
This annual event will explore King’s legacy through music, poetry and spoken word. Community members, faculty, staff and students will convene to celebrate King’s life and work. The program will feature performances by the Triad Youth Jazz Society and the UNC a cappella group Tar Heel Voices. A reception will follow the program. For more information, contact Lotticia Mack at lmmack@email.unc.edu.
Jan. 19
- From MLK to “Milk” — 7 p.m. in the Great Hall, Student Union.
This year’s Campus Y speaker is Cleve Jones. He created the AIDS Quilt, is portrayed in the movie “Milk” and is critical to the AIDS movement. This activist will address how gay and lesbian rights relate to King’s vision of a world where all people are created equal. For more information, contact Emily Zuehlke, zuehlke@email.unc.edu.
Jan. 20
- Carolina Women’s Center Brown-Bag Film Series — Noon, 039 Graham Memorial.
The Carolina Women’s Center will be having a special MLK Celebration Week screening of “Standing on My Sister’s Shoulders,” an award-winning documentary that takes on the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s from the point of view of the courageous women who lived it — and emerged as its grassroots leaders. For more information, contact Ashley Fogle at fogle@unc.edu.
- Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Contest — 6 p.m. in Hitchcock Multipurpose Room, Stone Center.
In this contest sponsored by the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, student participants will present original monologues on the following theme: “Building on Foundations of Greatness: How will our generation continue Dr. King’s Legacy?” Judges will select a winner and runner-up based on originality, presentation and impact of message. For more information, contact Janel Monroe at jnmonroe@email.unc.edu.
- The Vision Series, “All My Sons” — 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Paul Green Theatre, Center for Dramatic Art.
This new series invites you to join PlayMakers for an informal gathering to learn about their upcoming production in process. Meet the director and get a behind-the-scenes look at the design and vision for Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons,” while savoring the flavors of the Triangle, provided by a local vendor. For more information, call the PlayMakers Box Office at (919) 962-7529.
Jan. 21
- Candlelight Vigil — 6:30 p.m. at McCorkle Place, around the Old Well.
King’s life continues to inspire people today around the globe to fight for social justice. The Theta Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. invites the community to come and experience the excitement of being a drum major for justice. All members of the university community are invited to take part in the MLK Candlelight Vigil. The vigil will act as a time for reflection on King’s inspirational messages prior to the MLK Memorial Lecture, which will immediately follow. For more information, contact Whitney Nebolisa at nebolisa@email.unc.edu.
- 29th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Lecture: Danny Glover Presentation of 27th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship — 7:30 p.m., Jan. 21 in Memorial Hall.
A distinguished actor of the stage and screen, Danny Glover is a passionate advocate for economic justice, accessible health care and education. His discussion will draw from his experience as both an actor and activist and how King’s life and legacy has influenced him to use his platform as a world-renowned actor to engage in social activism. Tickets are free for UNC students and free reserved-seat tickets are available for the general public, faculty and staff. For more information, call the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333.
Jan. 22
- “I, Too, Sing America” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Great Hall inside the Student Union on the UNC campus.
This year’s program will commemorate King’s dream as people reflect upon the many cultures that have been touched by his legacy. Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too, Sing America” marks a slave’s pride in his heritage and his vision of a day when all prejudice is put aside and equality is reached.
It will be a celebration in which groups will explain how far they have come in American society and how far they still have to go to attain the American Dream. For more information, contact Stanley Allen at stanjr2@email.unc.edu.
