Fresno State students will honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at noon Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Peace Garden. The campus will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, for the national holiday in observance of King’s birthday.
For Tuesday’s hourlong Peace Garden event near the Dr. King monument (north of the Henry Madden Library), a ceremony to remember and honor the late civil rights leader will be presented by the university’s Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute.
Students, faculty, staff and administrators will speak to the life and influence of Dr. King, said Dr. Francine Oputa, institute director.
“This event will be an opportunity to remind individuals that the King holiday is more than a day off,” Oputa said. “It is also a time for us to recommit to acts of service, equity and justice for all.”
Scheduled speakers include Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro; Dr. Paulette Fleming, Art and Design professor; and Dr. Su Kapoor, Department of Social Work Education professor emeritus. There will also be an open mic period for individuals to express what Dr. King’s legacy means to them.
Dr. Thomas Ellis, Theater Arts professor, will perform one of Dr. King’s speeches and several theater students will also perform.
The observance sets the stage for the university’s celebration of African Peoples History Month in February, including a Feb. 7 visit by Harry Flournoy and screening of the Disney film “Glory Road” that depicts him and his history-making Texas Western College basketball team that won the 1966 national championship with the first-ever all African-American starting lineup.
Additional details about several events celebrating the contributions of African-Americans throughout the month of February will be announced later.
For more information, call the Center for Women and Culture at 559.278-6946.
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