MLK Events Planned
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas and Fayetteville communities are coming together this month with two weeks of activities celebrating the life, achievements and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The “Days of Recommitment: Honoring our Past, Charting Our Future” events are scheduled around the national Martin Luther King holiday, Monday, Jan. 15. The events were organized by the university and the Northwest Arkansas Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Planning Committee.
At 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 the celebration begins with a community service project at Seven Hills Homeless Shelter. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. will sponsor the project and a variety of fraternities, sororities, student organizations and members of the Northwest Arkansas community will take part. The group will offer transportation for the elderly.
At 7 p.m. that day, a “Service of Praise and Reflection” will be held at The Dwelling Place, 2458 E. Joyce Blvd. This event will be hosted by the Northwest Arkansas Planning Committee. The program will highlight several leaders in the community who will reflect experiences during the time in which King was actively involved in the civil rights movement. This program will also feature area choirs and choral groups. This event is designed to promote harmony within the Northwest Arkansas community.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, a memorial service will be held for King at the St. James Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The featured speaker will be the Rev. Delbert Ray Brown of Clarksville, Tenn.
Events on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 15, will begin with a Youth Prayer Breakfast at Bordino’s restaurant at 8 a.m. The purpose of this event is to allow young people to come together in prayer and reflect on how the meaning behind King's dream has affected their lives. There will be several youth speakers to talk about freedom, equality and justice for all. Following the breakfast the young people will be taken to the University of Arkansas Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building to take part in games such as basketball, volleyball and racquetball.
At 11:15 a.m. in the Walton Arts Center parking lot the city of Fayetteville will present a City Award Program to honor a city employee who exhibits the spirit and legacy of King.
This will be followed by a march from the parking lot to the Fulbright Peace Fountain on the University of Arkansas campus, where a noon vigil will be held in remembrance of King. The vigil is sponsored by the university’s Black Students Association and the Associated Student Government.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day events will conclude with the 11th Annual Recommitment Banquet at the Fayetteville Town Center at 7 p.m. The featured speaker will be Alfreda Robinson, associate dean at George Washington University Law School. In addition, the MLK Scholarships will be awarded and individuals from the Northwest Arkansas community will be honored for outstanding community service.
Other events including films, showings, performances and lectures continue until January 31. A full schedule of events is listed below:
Days of Recommitment Events
Saturday, Jan.
13
9 a.m.
Community Service Project
Location: Seven
Hills Homeless Shelter, 1561 W. Sixth St., Fayetteville
Sponsored by
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Other participants will include a variety of
fraternities, sororities, student organizations and members of the Northwest Arkansas community. This group will offer transportation for the
elderly.
7 p.m.
Service
of Praise and Reflection
Location: The Dwelling Place, 2458 E. Joyce Blvd., Fayetteville
Sponsored by NWA
MLK Planning Committee
This program
will highlight several leaders in the community who will reflect on experiences
during the time in which King was actively involved in the civil rights movement.
Also, this program will feature area choirs and choral groups.
Sunday, Jan. 14
3 p.m.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service
Location: St.
James Baptist Church, 115
S. Willow St., Fayetteville
Sponsored by
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. & NWA MLK Planning Committee
Speaker: Rev.
Delbert Ray Brown of Clarksville, Tenn.
Monday, Jan. 15
8 a.m.
King Team Community Service Program Youth Prayer Breakfast
Location: Bordino’s,
310 W. Dickson, Fayetteville
The purpose of
this event is to allow youth to come together in prayer and reflect on how the
meaning behind King's dream has affected their lives. There will be
several youth speakers to talk about freedom, equality and justice for
all. Winners of the MLK Poster Contest will be presented with $25 savings
bonds.
9:30
a.m.
Youth Activity
Location: Health,
Physical Education and Recreation
Building, University of Arkansas
Sponsored by NWA
MLK Planning Committee
The young people
will go to the University of Arkansas HPER Building to play games
such as basketball, volleyball and racquetball.
11:15 a.m.
MLK March/City Awards Program
Location: Walton Arts Center Parking Lot, Fayetteville
Sponsored by NWA
MLK Planning Committee and the city of Fayetteville
The city of Fayetteville will honor a city employee who exhibits
the spirit and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The march will start at the Walton Arts Center parking lot and follow a designated path
to the Fulbright Peace Fountain behind Old Main.
Noon
Vigil
Location:
Fulbright Peace Fountain, University
of Arkansas
Sponsored by UA
Black Students Association & Associated Student Government
7 p.m.
11th
Annual Recommitment Banquet
Featured
Speaker: Alfreda Robinson, associate dean at George Washington University Law School
Location: Fayetteville Town Center, 15 W. Mountain, Fayetteville
Sponsored by NWA
MLK Planning Committee
MLK Scholarships
will be awarded and individuals from the Northwest Arkansas community will be honored for
outstanding community service.
Related Events
Jan. 10 to Feb.
28
Art Exhibit
Featured Artist:
Ralph Armstrong of Little
Rock
Location: University of Arkansas Mullins Library lobby level
Sponsored by
University Libraries & UA MLK Committee
A series of
images by Little
Rock
photographer Ralph Armstrong will be on display in the lobby level of Mullins
Library at the University of Arkansas.
Jan. 16 to 31
MLK Poster
Contest Display
Location: University of Arkansas Multicultural Center
Sponsored by NWA
MLK Planning Committee & UA MLK Committee
The University
of Arkansas Multicultural Center will be displaying the submissions to the
poster contest.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
11:30
a.m. — 1:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion
“Transitions:
Experiences of University of Arkansas Graduate Students from HBCUs.”
Location: University of Arkansas Union,
Room 312 NW
Sponsored by
BGSA, UA Graduate School & UA MLK Committee
A roundtable of
graduate students will discuss the transitional experiences at the University of Arkansas as a graduate of a historical black
college or university.
Wednesday, Jan.
17
9
a.m.-6 p.m.
(hourly)
Documentary
Film Screening
The
Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend
Location:
University of Arkansas Union Theatre
Sponsored by UA
MLK Committee
The film The
Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend documents a group of internationally acclaimed
black quiltmakers from Gee's Bend,
Ala. It explores the extraordinary lives,
inspirations, and history of these artists, and also follows them on a poignant
and sometimes very comical bus journey to see their quilts exhibited at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Musical Performance
Halftime of
UA/Georgia Basketball Game
Featured
Performers: UA Inspirational Singers
Location: UA Bud
Walton Arena
Thursday, Jan.
18
11:30
a.m.
University
Lecture
“Leaders in the
Mirror: Meet Your Future Today”
Featured
Speaker: Joyce Elliott, Arkansas
State Representative
Location: Walton
Reading Room, Mullins Library
Sponsored by the
UA MLK Committee
12:30
- 1:30 p.m.
Musical
Performance
“Songs of Freedom and Remembrance”
Featured
Performers: Broad Daylight
Location: Arkansas Union Food Court Lobby (3rd Floor)
Sponsored by UA
MLK Committee
4 p.m.
College Lecture
"Memphis before Montgomery: Interracial Movements for Economic
Justice before the Civil Rights Era"
Featured
Speaker: Dr. Robert McMath, dean of Honors College
Location: University of Arkansas Multicultural Center
Sponsored by UA Honors College & UA MLK Committee
Friday, Jan. 19
Noon
College Lecture
“African American's Struggles and Achievements in Agriculture”
Featured
Speaker: Dr. Handy Williamson Jr., vice provost for
International Programs, University of Missouri
Location: University of Arkansas Hembree Auditorium (Agriculture Building 107E)
Sponsored by UA
College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences & UA MLK Committee
3 p.m.
University Lecture
“Hip-Hop’s
Influence on Violence and Incarceration Rates Among African American Men: What
Would Dr. King Say?”
Featured
Speaker: Dr. Joe Seabrooks, Assistant Vice Chancellor
for Student Affairs
Location: University of Arkansas Mullins Library
Sponsored by University of Arkansas MLK Committee
Saturday,
Jan. 20
7 p.m.
Dance Performance
“Celebrating the Music and Culture of West Africa”
Featured
Performers: Afrique Aya Dance Company
Location:
University of Arkansas Union Theater
Sponsored by University of Arkansas MLK Committee
Monday, Jan. 22
5:30
p.m.
College Lecture
“Shaping the
Future of the Profession”
Featured
Speaker: Dr. Ted Landsmark, president, Boston Architectural College, and president of the Association of
Collegiate Schools of Architecture
Location:
University of Arkansas Shollmeier Lecture Hall, Vol Walker Hall
Sponsored by UA College of Architecture
11:30
a.m.
Discussion and Book Signing
“Civil Rights and the Black Panther Party”
Featured Author:
Dr. Curtis Austin
Location:
University of Arkansas Shollmeier Lecture Hall, Vol Walker Hall
7 p.m.
Book Signing
Location: Night
Birds Books
Sponsored by University of Arkansas Press
Tuesday, Jan. 23
11:30
a.m.
Panel Discussion
“The MLK Movement: Voices of Change”
Location:
University of Arkansas Walton College of Business, Reynolds Center Auditorium
Sponsored by UA
Walton College of Business
The panel will
consist of Gerald Alley, Michael Joshua and Donald Bland. Timothy Howell will
be the moderator. The panel will be discussing the impact and changes as result
of the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Wednesday
January 24
11:30
am
University
Lecture
“A Fine Line: Serving My Community and
Working to Achieve Dr. King's Dream of the Beloved Community”
Featured
Speaker: Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton, former director, Winthrop Rockefeller
Foundation
Location: Walton
Reading Room, Mullins Library
Thursday, Jan.
25
12:30
p.m. — 1:30 p.m.
College Lecture
“What Matters
Most: Finding the Passion, Purpose and Focus to Achieve Your Life’s Goals”
Featured
Speaker: Troy Alley, vice president of Con-Real
Support Group Inc., Dallas, Texas.
Location: Bell Engineering Center, Room 288
Sponsored by UA College of Engineering
Monday, Jan. 29
7 p.m.
Diversity Show: Talent &
Entertainment
Location:
University of Arkansas Union Theater
Sponsored by UA
Diversity Alliance
For more information and up-to-date schedules, check the online calendar at http://multicultural.uark.edu
Contacts
Danielle Wood,
recruitment manager
Office of
Affirmative Action
(479) 575-4825
Steve Voorhies,
manager of media relations
University
Relations
(479) 575-3583, voorhies@uark.edu