Lee University's faculty and staff Cultural Diversity Committee will host a series of events beginning Monday, Jan. 20, commemorating the work, theology, and philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The events will consist of lectures, multiple discussions, a chapel service, and a film showing.
“During this week of honoring Dr. King’s work, we are all learners - students, faculty, and community,” said Dr. Mary McCampbell, associate professor of humanities at Lee. “Learning to truly love our neighbors as ourselves is the work of a lifetime, and we look forward to spending a week focusing on the ways in which our love of neighbor relates to understanding the experiences of African Americans in this country.”
On Monday, Dr. McCampbell and Assistant Professor of Sociology Dr. Ruth Wienk will present “Resistance, Lament and Praise: The History and Practice of African American Protest Music,” a lecture on the historical connections between music, protest, theology, and the struggle for freedom. This presentation will take place at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Lecture Hall, located in Lee’s Humanities Center, and will include live music and discussion.
Lee alum Mo Huggins, a pastor at Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Ga., will speak in a special chapel service on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 10:40 a.m.
That evening at 7 p.m., there will be a showing of “King in the Wilderness,” the 2018 documentary about the final chapters of King’s life. Following the film, Chattanooga racial justice advocate Donivan Brown will facilitate an open conversation about the ways in which this history impacts us today. Lee’s Dr. Richard Moy, assistant professor of mathematics, will help host this event in the Rose Lecture Hall, located in the Helen DeVos College of Education.
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the first Black Student Union meeting of the semester, which is open to everyone, will take place in Room 207 of the Humanities Center.
A panel discussion, “Bridging our Parallel Lives: Lee University and College Hill Community,” will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, in the Johnson Lecture Hall, hosted by Associate Professor of Sociology Dr. Arlie Tagayuna. This panel will highlight some of the College Hill community members’ contributions to Cleveland, while identifying significant ways in which the community has evolved side-by-side with Lee University.
The week’s events will conclude on Friday, Jan. 24, with “Help Me Be Sensitive,” hosted by the university’s Student Leadership Council. This session will provide an opportunity to hear student stories and perspectives on social issues impacting the Lee family and surrounding community. “Help Me Be Sensitive” will take place at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Lecture Hall.
"Dr. King’s work focused on helping us to see the dignity and beauty in all human beings,” said Dr. McCampbell. “In order to learn to see, we first have to listen to the voices of those who have historically not been seen. We invite all to partake in these important conversations, to listen, and to see.”
All events are free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Dr. McCampbell at 614-8353 or mmccampbell@leeuniversity.edu.