Williams Celebrates Martin Luther King Day
WILLIAMSTOWN - The Williams College Multicultural Center is organizing a series of events to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which falls on Monday, Jan. 21, this year.King was at the forefront of the American civil rights movement, which culminated in the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Known for his "I Have a Dream" speech at the 1963 March on Washington, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964 for his work against racial segregation. King was assassinated in 1986 at age 39.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national holiday marking King's Jan. 15 birthday. It is observed on the third Monday of January. This year's theme is "In the spirit of unity and service. Remember! Celebrate! Act! A day on, not a day off."
All Williams College events are open to the public.
On Sunday, Jan. 20, performing artist Awele Makeba will give a workshop at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance at 4 p.m. Makeba is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, playwright, and actor who explores American history through a variety of media.
On Monday, the college's Multifaith Service, "an afternoon of readings and reflection," will be held at 4 in the Paresky Theatre.
The fourth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Dinner will take place at 5:30 p.m. on the same day at the Faculty House (corner of Main and Park streets). In addition to a special dinner prepared by a guest chef, the evening will feature readings by Williamstown Elementary School students, the winning entries of the annual Williams MLK Competition, and a performance by the band Misty Blues featuring Gina Coleman. All are welcome to the community dinner. Limited tickets will be available at the door for $4, and proceeds will go to a charitable cause.
After the dinner, an evening performance and a vigil will be held at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance at 7:30 p.m. (performance) and 9 p.m. (vigil). The performance by Makeba will focus on the Montgomery Boycott.
A final event will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the Williamstown Elementary School auditorium at 1:40 p.m. This assembly will include poetry and essay readings by fifth- and sixth-graders and performances by Williams dance groups Kusika, Sankofa, Dance Dhamaka, Inish and the Dance Company.
The events are sponsored by the Williams dance department, chaplain's office, Black Student Union, and dining services as well as the Williamstown Elementary School.
