Through his writings and actions, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embodied a commitment to social justice and community empowerment, inspiring generations to change the world. In celebration of this spirit, Scripps College will be hosting the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration events, rooted in this year’s theme: Education, Empowerment, Purpose. The commemoration comprises two main events: The Annual Day of Service and The Annual Commemoration Lecture.
During the Day of Service, on Saturday, January 26, students from across The Claremont Colleges will volunteer at a local history museum, an animal shelter, a community farm, or write letters to refugees and residents in assisted living. Volunteers will also join in lunchtime conversation about Dr. King and community engagement. Students must pre-register at here.
On Tuesday, January 29, Bettina Love, an award-winning author and hip-hop scholar, will give the Annual Commemoration Lecture. In her new book, We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, the University of Georgia associate professor of educational theory and practice weaves together personal stories, research, and history to offer visions of education and justice inspired by the teachings and revolutionary spirit of Dr. King. Other lecture events include student-only conversation and book giveaway with Dr. Love, a public lecture, and a dinner for Claremont College students, faculty, staff, and special guests following the lecture. Registration and full details available here.
“Honoring Dr. King’s legacy goes beyond remembering him and what the Civil Rights movement accomplished—it means understanding the role each of us can play to creating a more just world, and recommitting to that every day. This seems to become more and more important each passing moment in the climate we currently live in, and the committee has chosen Dr. Bettina Love because we believe she will inspire our students and galvanize them as future leaders and change-makers,” says Maritza Arreola, assistant director of Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment (SCORE) and Scripps’ representative for the Claremont Colleges’ MLK commemoration planning committee.
The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration regularly draws distinguished speakers, academics, and industry leaders to Claremont to honor Dr. King’s legacy. Past lecturers include Distinguished Professor of African American Studies at Morehouse College Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, who is the host of HuffPost Live and BET News; Michael Eric Dyson, well-known academic and best-selling author who appears regularly on NPR and CNN; Dr. Terrence Roberts, who spoke on the legacy of the Little Rock Nine; Susan L. Taylor, editor-in-chief emerita of Essence magazine; and Scripps’ own Professor of History and Africana Studies Rita Roberts, who led a screening and discussion of the film Freedom On My Mind.
This year’s events are presented in partnership between The Claremont Colleges Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Committee, The Office of Black Student Affairs, Scripps Presents, The Youth Mentoring Action Network, and KSPC Radio.