The University of Mary Washington will commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy with a weeklong celebration of lectures, events and community service, beginning Sunday, Jan. 19. The university was closed on Monday, Jan. 20 in observance of the holiday.
On Sunday, Jan. 19 from 2 to 5 p.m., children from the local community were invited to join UMW students at James Monroe High School for an afternoon of games, activities and crafts at the annual MLK, Jr. Kids Day. The free event was sponsored by the UMW Office of the President; James Farmer Multicultural Center; Office of Honor, Leadership, and Service; and Multicultural Outreach Effort (MORE).
The Martin Luther King, Jr. keynote address on Tuesday, Jan. 21 by civil rights icon Ernest Green has been canceled due to adverse weather conditions. Green was one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who, in 1957, were the first black students ever to attend classes at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. In 1958, Green was the first African-American student to graduate from the school. In 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded the members of the Little Rock Nine the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor given to a civilian, for outstanding bravery during the integration of Little Rock Central High School.
The celebration will culminate in a day of service for the campus community on Saturday, Jan. 25. Volunteers should register at http://students.umw.edu/multicultural/ or by phone at (540) 654-1044. On Saturday, volunteers will meet at Lee Hall, Room 411 at 10 a.m.
For more information and a full list of events, visit http://students.umw.edu/multicultural/programs/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-celebration/ or call (540) 654-1044.
