Danny Glover and Felix Justice dramatized the works of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Langston Hughes last night. In just a few hours last night, the walls of Irvine Auditorium became a time machine, as the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Langston Hughes came alive again through the voices of actors Danny Glover and Felix Justice. Justice and Glover presented theatrical readings of works by King and Hughes, followed by a question-and- answer session with the audience. Glover has starred in such films as The Color Purple, Grand Canyon and the Lethal Weapon series, while Justice has acted and directed for 29 years, highlighted by a one-man show about King. It was this performance that inspired Glover to approach Justice about collaborating in an educational performance. Last night's event -- co-sponsored by Connaissance and SPECTRUM -- was the first Connaissance presentation of the semester. The performance, celebrating Black History Month, was intended to facilitate appreciation of diversity. "It's important for students to see someone like Danny Glover taking time out to talk about issues important to him," said SPECTRUM Co-director and Wharton senior Clayton Virgil said. "We wanted to bring in speakers who were more than just entertaining; people who wanted to teach something," Connaissance Co-Director and College junior Elie Haller said. Justice began the evening with a dramatic presentation of a speech given by King in April 1968. Through the power of voice and movement, Justice conveyed King's philosophies, extending beyond the realm of the popularized "I Have A Dream" speech. Justice, standing before the audience as King, spoke about saving the children and the pursuit of freedom, as well as the need for hope and the power of community. Militancy was a recurring theme in the speech. The words of King -- "non-violence is a necessity for our age" -- rang out through the auditorium. Using his dynamic presence, Glover then took the stage with the power of Hughes's words. "Black shoes walking in the dewy night," Glover read, as Hughes's distinct images filtered through the audience and the speaker sat breathless as if he were Hughes himself -- not Glover -- describing a scene from ages past. Among the poems Glover read were "Trumpet Player," "Hope For Harlem" and "Summer Night." Some of the poetry was echoed in musical accompaniment. Dreams, hope and a need for change in America were consistent themes throughout the poetry. Glover closed his reading with a poem expressing the desire for people of all colors to "share the bounties of the earth." In the ensuing question-and-answer session, both Glover and Justice expressed their desire to be proactive, rather than negative, towards society. When one student requested that Glover record his reading of Hughes's poetry, the actor responded, "I want to encourage human interaction and discourse through my readings. That cannot be done through a record." As the discussion evolved, Glover and Justice emphatically repeated that conversation, such as the one in which they were participating, is necessary for society to change and grow. Justice recalled how King's words moved him years ago as a college student. "These men were dreamers who had the courage to bring dreams into actuality," he said. "I embrace the collective experience of listening and discussing as a community," Glover added. "That has been my foundation that I've followed through the course of my life."
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