Martin Luther King Day

                This past Monday we celebrated the life and achievements of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), who was an influential American civil rights leader. Every year on the third Monday in January, we remember the contributions of MLK in celebration of the anniversary of his birth. He was a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement to end segregation in the United States in the 50’s and 60’s. He is known for his “I Have a Dream” speech he delivered in an effort to advocate for equality.

                MLK Day is a federal holiday that is celebrated all around the United States. Often people celebrate the life of MLK by dedicating the day to community service. There are several community service projects in Decatur, parades around downtown Atlanta, and 5k marathons going on around the city. As Dr. King was an Atlanta native we are fortunate enough to have The King Center 10 minutes from the Agnes Scott College campus. It is a historic site that is dedicated to educating the world on the life, legacy, and teachings of MLK.  The center has a number of artifacts and memorabilia from the life of MLK and his family. You can also visit his birth home and his tomb and that of his wife Coretta Scott King.

  In addition to the activities occurring around Atlanta, we had our annual MLK Convocation right here at Agnes Scott. Every year we remember the legacy of MLK by having spring convocation dedicated to his teachings and contributions to United States history.  The convocation is how we officially begin the spring semester at Agnes Scott College. This year we were very lucky to have civil rights activist Dr. C.T. Vivian as our guest speaker. Dr. Vivian worked alongside MLK in the non-violent fight for civil rights. He has been described by the New School for Social Research as a “…spiritual leader, apostle for social justice, strategist of the civil rights movement.” We had the pleasure of listening to his powerful words of wisdom, encouragement, and motivation in honor of MLK. Throughout the week we will be having different programs, panels, and events to celebrate MLK and his contributions to human rights and social justice. 

Dr. C.T. Vivian