Bucknell University’s 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Week will feature five prominent scholars who will recall Dr. King’s legacy while discussing the “Facing Change” theme during a week-long series of public events Jan. 21-27. All events are free, although RSVP is required for the luncheon discussions and Thursday’s 4 p.m. book discussion at griot@bucknell.edu.
The celebration begins on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 21, with a noon lunch conversation led by Bucknell alumnus Richard Boddie ’61, who will discuss “The 1958 Visit of Martin Luther King Jr. to Bucknell: Impressions and Influences” in Walls Lounge, Elaine Langone Center (ELC).
Later that day, a community dinner will be held at 5 p.m. in Larison Hall for members of the University community and their guests. Attendees will discuss the effectiveness and relevance of different forms of activism on college campuses and what can be learned from them. Those who plan to attend should RSVP here by Jan. 16.
Following the dinner, Jason Sokol, the Arthur K. Whitcomb Associate Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire, will deliver a 7 p.m. lecture titled “The Heavens Might Crack: The Death and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.” in the ELC Forum.
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, the Spring Community Service and Involvement Fair will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the ELC’s Terrace Room and ground floor. Local agencies seeking volunteers are invited to come to campus and connect with Bucknell students. Groups are asked to register online to reserve their spot.
At 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, Patrisia Macias-Rojas, professor of sociology and Latin American and Latino studies at University of Illinois at Chicago, will present a lecture titled “From Deportation to Prison: The Politics of Immigration Enforcement in Post-Civil Rights America” in the ELC Forum.
On Wednesday, Jan. 23, Nicholas Villanueva, director of critical sports studies and lecturer of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will speak about “Lynching of Americans in the Texas Borderlands” at 7 p.m. in the ELC Forum.
On Thursday, Jan. 24, Ibram Kendi, professor of history and international relations at American University, will conduct both a book discussion and evening lecture. The book discussion will be held at 4 p.m. in the ELC’s Walls Lounge, and the lecture, titled “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America,” will take place at 7 p.m. in the ELC Forum.
MLK Week events will conclude Sunday, Jan. 27, with the fifth annual Interfaith Service for Peace and Justice at 11 a.m. in Rooke Chapel. It will feature readings, reflections and music representing a variety of religious traditions.
In support of Dr. King’s emphasis on service, organizers have established a charitable gift drive to benefit individuals and families in Bucknell’s local area. Campus drop-off locations include the ELC CAP Center and the evening lectures.
Martin Luther King Jr. Week is presented by the President’s Diversity Council.