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Posted December 21, 2012.
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Ellen Davis, 512-863-1570
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Southwestern to Host Week of Events Celebrating the Life of Martin Luther King Jr.
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Rev. Don Brewington, chaplain of Huston–Tillotson University, will be the featured speaker at a Jan. 21 event celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
2013 marks the 50th anniversary of King’s famous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech
Southwestern is planning a series of events the week of Jan. 21 to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
The events will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 21, when students join members of the Georgetown community in a march to celebrate King’s memory. Students interested in joining the march will meet on the Academic Mall.
On Monday evening, Southwestern is hosting a reception and program beginning at 5 p.m. in the Bishops Lounge. The featured speaker for this event is Rev. Don Brewington, chaplain of Huston–Tillotson University. The event also will feature musical and spoken tributes to King from members of the Southwestern, Georgetown and Austin communities.
On Wednesday, Jan. 23, Southwestern will host a screening of the documentary titled “Brother Outsider - The Life of Bayard Rustin.” Rustin was a mentor to King and the architect of the legendary 1963 March on Washington. The film will begin at 6 p.m. in Olin 105.
Southwestern also will host an interfaith service in honor of King on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 11:30 a.m. in the Lois Perkins Chapel. The service will be led by Rudy Williams, a Southwestern graduate and pastor of Friendly Will Missionary Baptist Church in Georgetown. It will include performances by first-year students Brandon Baker and Nathanael Sherrod.
On Friday, Jan. 25, members of the Southwestern community will have the opportunity to pay tribute to early African-American Georgetown citizens by participating in a guided tour called The Georgetown Freedom Tour. The tour will visit two sites of local historical significance: The Old Georgetown Cemetery and the Shotgun House. The tour will depart from the McCombs parking lot at 3 p.m.
The week’s activities will conclude with a special Friday Night Live event featuring comedian Owen Smith. Smith will perform at 8 p.m. in the Cove.
Terri Johnson, assistant dean for student multicultural affairs, noted that 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. A committee composed of students, faculty, staff and community members has planned the events for the week.
The week prior to MLK Day, students will be hosting an “MLK Trivia” contest Jan. 15-17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bishops Lounge to help people learn more about King and his legacy.
All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 512-863-1342 or write tjohnson@southwestern.edu.
