WCU events commemorate the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
Western Carolina University has several speakers and programs as part of its annual Martin Luther King celebration, which is themed “Beloved Community: Peace and Unity,” running from Jan. 20 to Jan. 25.
• TV show host, political science professor and writer Melissa V. Harris-Perry will be the keynote speaker at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Harris-Perry, host of the weekend news and opinion show “Melissa Harris-Perry” on MSNBC, also is a professor of political science at Tulane University. Her publications include the recently released book Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes and Black Women in America and the award-winning “Barbershops, Bibles and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought.” In addition, she writes for The Nation magazine, which features her monthly column titled “Sister Citizen.”
• A unity march on campus begins at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Illusions in the University Center. Hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the march will be followed by a birthday party for King.
• The screening of Part 1 of “King: From Montgomery to Memphis” will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 in the theater of the University Center. Part II is at 6 p.m. Jan. 22 followed by a discussion.
• A student will reenact King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech at noon Jan. 22 from the University Center balcony.
• “Open Mic Night” will be hosted by Kappa Alpha sorority and Last Minute Productions at 6 p.m. Jan. 24 at Illusions in the University Center.
University administrative offices will be closed Jan. 20 in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
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