It’s a little-known fact among Northwestern students that Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke on three separate occasions in Evanston — which is why the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day planning committee decided to focus this year’s series of events on the relationship between the civil rights movement and the Chicago area.
“For many people, Martin Luther King is a chapter in the history books that happened in the South,” said Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs Burgwell Howard, who is the chair of the planning committee. “By trying to make the focus a little more localized, we thought it might have more appeal to people to know that the place they walk by every day when they go to Chipotle is where this person actually stood and spoke to an audience.”
The keynote performance on Monday will be by gospel singer Mavis Staples, whose family group, The Staples Singers, was the opening act for many of King’s speeches. Staples, along with keynote speaker Wayne Watson, are both Chicago-area natives.
“Seeing active members of the civil rights movement at Northwestern’s campus talking about their experience, I think it’s just a great way to tie history into recent events,” said Weinberg senior Samuel Ludington, a member of the planning committee.
The university will also host the Eva Jefferson Civil Rights Mentoring Program for the seventh year running, welcoming students from the Evanston area to attend events at Northwestern.
“I would say a majority of the students [who are part of the program] are a minority,” Ludington said. “It’s really encouraging to work with students who are so eager, who have such a desire to learn.”
Other events during the day include a presentation by Ohio University journalism professor Patrick Washburn on the role of African-American press during the civil rights movements.
Banners across residence halls, as well as an online forum are also made accessible to create dialogue on race relations. Additionally, for the third year in a row, classes will be canceled for the holiday to give students, faculty and staff an opportunity to attend the events.
“I know a lot of people like to sleep in, catch up on their Lost reruns or Gossip Girl, but I think it’s the opportunity to take the time to remember, celebrate and take some action,” Howard said. “The reason [University President Henry] Bienen canceled classes and all academic activities was to create a space where we could come together as a community.”
Howard added that he felt that the celebration would have a particular significance this year, a day before the inauguration of Barack Obama.
“I think, regardless of how one voted this year, it is hard not to recognize the feeling of inspiration, the feeling of hope, the feeling that we’re on the brink of something very special,” he said. “Here’s a person who inspires people, moves people much in the same way that Dr. King did.”