The celebrated dreamer who has a national holiday in his honor for his dedication to civil rights - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - will be the focus of a series of events at William Woods University this week.
Since Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many governmental offices are closed and most students have a break from class, but WWU students are not off for the holiday.
Tammy Carter, director of multicultural affairs at WWU, explained that instead of students merely taking a break Monday, having classes and programs focused on the life, legacy and vision of King helps students truly celebrate MLK Day. The university is offering events throughout the week with the theme "MLK: Past, Present and Future" that are free and open to the public.
Some time and date changes have occurred since the original MLK schedule was released. The first event will be a presentation on the culture - music, arts, events and poetry - of the Civil Rights Movement called "RESPECT: Mercy, Mercy Me, What's Goin' On Here in America?" Dr. Bryan Carter, associate professor from the University of Central Missouri, will present this program at 1 p.m. Monday in the library auditorium.
The headline event features a civil rights activist from Selma, Ala. who will give a speech at 7 p.m. Monday in Cutlip Auditorium. Joanne Bland will talk about the struggles throughout the south during the Civil Rights Movement, especially her own experiences such as being arrested 13 times by the time she was 11.