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January 14, 2008
King Week continues dream

By kim urquhart

Emory’s King Week, an annual celebration of the life, work and interests of Martin Luther King Jr., features a range of education, entertainment and memorial activities Jan. 21-27.

“The week-long celebration is an indicator of the value that the University places on understanding the life and legacy of this extraordinary human being,” said Cynthia Shaw, who for the past 17 years has chaired Emory’s Martin Luther King Holiday Observance Committee. Forty-five years ago, King inspired the nation with his “I Have A Dream” speech, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary civil rights leader’s assassination in Memphis.

King’s spirit of activism and social justice will be highlighted in a Jan. 25 keynote address, “There Goes the Neighborhood: Race, Ethnic and Class Tensions in Four Chicago Neighborhoods,” by William Julius Wilson, Harvard University’s Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor and director of the Joblessness and Urban Poverty Research Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Other popular events taking place during King Week include a jazz vesper service Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in Cannon Chapel and the presentation of Community Service Awards sponsored by the Rollins School of Public Health and Goizueta Business School. The event, on Jan. 24 at 4 p.m., will feature a talk by speaker Isaac Farris Jr., president and CEO of The King Center, on “Balancing the Scales: Social Justice on the Forefront.”

New this year is “Words That Changed The World,” on Jan. 23. Students, staff and faculty will gather in the Dobbs University Center to read from speeches and letters of prominent civil rights leaders from around the world.

For event details, visit http://www.emory.edu/MLK/.