In May 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. returned to Penn’s campus to speak at multiple panel discussions during the University’s annual “Law Day U.S.A.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy lives on as Penn students participate in events honoring his memory this week.
Yesterday, as part of an annual service event, students gathered for a breakfast and then headed out of the "Penn bubble" to do community service in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During the day of service, students joined with other volunteers to help with a variety of service projects including painting and cleaning up local schools and community centers.
Later that evening, students and faculty attended a discussion called "Identity, Intersectionality and You," hosted by Du Bois College House, Civic House and the LGBT Center. The group discussion — facilitated by a panel — focused on King's ideas about justice and equality. The event was meant to address the complex issues of being a minority in terms of both race and sexuality.
If you missed the events yesterday, there are still more MLK-inspired events in the coming week.
An event today called "#BlackWomensLivesMatter: The Impact of Sexual Violence," hosted by the Penn Women's Center, will explore the issues faced by women of color. The discussion — hosted by Associate Director of Penn Women's Center Brittany Harris along with Counseling and Psychological Services, Makuu, Black Graduate Women's Association and Big Sisters Mentoring — will touch on topics such as the heightened risk of assault that black women face compared to white women.
On Wednesday, a discussion entitled "HIV is a crime? Or is it? The Intersection of Race and Gender" will be held in Irvine Auditorium. Later in the evening at Houston Hall, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Commemoration and Awards Ceremony will feature Philadelphia native and civil rights activist Shane Claiborne.
Wrapping up the week on Thursday will be the 15th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture in Social Justice which will be held in the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and sponsored by the African Studies Center. The co-founders of hashtag #BlackLivesMatter will speak at this event about how the fight for racial justice has evolved from King's era to today.
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