In remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., North Central invites the community to celebrate MLK Week. His legacy led others by example then and continues to do so today.
Grammy award-winning artist, Common, is the keynote speaker amongst a lineup of those gearing up to commemorate the College’s annual celebration of MLK Week.
“We wanted to have a speaker that students could get excited about and who could also talk about the legacy of Martin Luther King,” said Dorothy Pleas, Director of Multicultural Affairs. “I think the different speakers that we bring each year provide a different perspective on the life of Dr. King and what that means to them.”
Antoinette Williams, a 2011 NCC Premier Scholars program student, said, “MLK week to me is celebrating a strong, confident man who risked everything to give African-Americans a fair standing in this country. Without him, me along with many other African-Americans probably would not have the confidence to attend a college like North Central.”
Outside of MLK week, the College has taken steps to further Dr. King’s mission to increase diversity through programs, such as Teach First, INROADS, and Premier Scholars.
There are many sides to tackle when it comes to addressing the issue of inequality. “In terms of promoting diversity on campus and cross-cultural understanding, whether it’s through my department, Residence Life or Ministry and Service, we’re all using our programming so it comes at students from different directions,” said Pleas.
With MLK Week, various campus offices come together, not as independently of one another, to plan the commemoration for Dr. King and his message, said Pleas.
The event schedule, as shown below, has been slightly changed from years past. The Gospel Extravaganza, though removed from the week’s festivities, has been scheduled in Wentz for Saturday, February 15 at 7 p.m. This change allows the Voices of Praise choir to account for the addition of newer members between fall and winter term.
Apart from Common’s keynote address, there will be a panel discussion featuring NCC professors along with FM Supreme, a hip-hop artist and community activist. The topic for the evening will cover how musical acts use music for social change. To round up the night, FM Supreme will provide a performance.
With the week’s theme being the “Power of Words,” the words of Dr. King, Common, FM Supreme, and those artists talked about in the panel discussion are examined. “…Even with the writing contest, students will have a chance to use words and see the power their words have,” said Pleas.
Professor Stephen Caliendo, the moderator for the panel, added, “Everyone is excited about the incorporation of social media, particularly Twitter, into this year’s MLK week celebrations. We will be encouraging people to use the #NCCMLK14 tag throughout the week, including as a way to ask questions to panelists at the ‘Music as a Means of Protest’ panel.”
For a complete listing of MLK Week events, see the table.
MLK WEEK EVENT LISTING
|
Date, Time, Location |
Event Name |
Event Details
|
| Sunday, January 19 @ 3PM (Wentz Concert Hall) | Chicago Sinfonietta “Annual Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.” | Tickets are $10 for students, contact the box office at (630) 637-7469 |
| Monday, January 20 @ 7AM (Whites Activity Center, Centennial Hall) | MLK Annual Prayer Breakfast | Our keynote speaker is Ms. NeAngela Marshall, J.D. ’04. RVSP to (630) 637-5151 by January 13 |
| Monday, January 20 @ 6:30PM (Koten Chapel) | Book Release Event: “Birmingham Revolution: Martin Luther King’s Epic Challenge to the Church” by Ed Gilbreath | Author Edward Gilbreath will discuss his new book on the legacy of MLK and the civil right’s leader’s landmark “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” |
| Tuesday, Januart 21 @ 7PM (Pfeiffer Hall) | Keynote Speaker – Common | Common is a Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist, actor, and author. Admission is free to the North Central community and $10 for the public; contact the box office at (630) 637-7469 for tickets. |
| Thursday, January 23 @ 12noon (Theater at Meiley-Swallow Hall) | Panel Discussion: Music as a Means of Protest | Hip-hop artist/community activist FM Supreme and a panel of NCC faculty members will discuss the use of music as a vehicle for protest and change. FM Supreme will also perform. |
| Friday, January 25 @ 7PM (The Union) | Mike Farris | Gospel and blues artist, Mike Farris will be accompanied by, gospel quartet, the McCrary Sisters, and a live band. Admission is free for students. |
| Saturday, January 26 @ 10PM (Whites Activity Center, Main Floor) | WAC Weekend Power of Words Showcase | Featuring winners of the student writing contest and other talent. |
| Throughout the Week (Schoenherr Gallery at the Fine Arts Center) | The Chicago Freedom Movement Photography by Bernard J. Kleina | Kleina’s work reveals a snapshot of Dr. Martin Luther King’s visits to Chicago through rare, historic color photographs along with contemporary photographs. |
| Student Writing Contest & Organization Banner Contest | Winning entries will receive cash prizes. All contest items must be received by 5PM Wednesday, January 15. See details at http://cardinalnet.northcentralcollege.edu/student-life/mlk-week |
