As the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. draws near, opportunities around Bloomington and the campus abound, especially with regards to the arts. Students can participate and attend, sometimes for free, a variety of events and performances in the coming week. Engaging in the arts can enhance one's consideration of King's impact and influence on society today.\n"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was about doing things that would inspire people, doing things that would bring people together and doing things that would break down barriers," said Charles E. Sykes, African American Arts Institute Director. "What better way to bring people together than to use the arts?"
Listed are some notable programs and events. \n"What Would Martin Do?"
From 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, the Office of Diversity Education is sponsoring a public forum at the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center Grand Hall. The event "What Would Martin Do? Part 1" will provide members of the IU and Bloomington communities with an opportunity to express their opinions on controversial issues. The forum will focus on discussing contemporary issues and then posing the question: What Would Martin Do? As part of the forum, poets and spoken word artists will perform. Whether you want a chance to express yourself or you just to hear others' opinions, all are welcome to participate.
"The Power of ONE"
The CommUNITY Education Program is sponsoring a program called "The Power of ONE Quilt!" from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday at Eigenmann Residence Hall. Eigenmann residents can write their ideas and stories about how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement has affected them and those close to them. The individual squares will be compiled to form one large quilt. Afterwards, the quilt will be displayed in the Eigenmann elevator lobby. People are encouraged to stop by and see artistic testament of the Civil Rights Movement's effect on today's society.
Make a statement
Continuing the "What Would Martin Do?" theme, there will be a March and Rally for Peace and Justice at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. The march will begin at the front entrance of the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center and end on the courthouse lawn, with a brief stop at Peoples Park in between. Once the march reaches the courthouse lawn, a rally featuring speakers and songs will last until 5 p.m. Participants are urged to dress warm and bring posters encouraging peace and justice within the community.
A concert for reflection, fun
The Buskirk-Chumley will host the community's annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission's celebration on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Award winning author and civil rights activist Constance Curry will speak. Curry worked to promote black voter registration and desegregation in Mississippi school systems from 1965 to 1974. The celebration will also feature a performance by the IU African American Choral Ensemble and new music by David Baker, Distinguished Professor of Music and director of jazz studies at the Jacobs School of Music.
Dr. King and hip-hop
On Sunday, Jan. 22, the Hip-Hop Congress and the CommUNITY Education Program is hosting "Hip-Hop and Resistance of Struggles" at the Willkie Auditorium from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will concentrate on how the beliefs and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. coincide with contemporary hip-hop culture. Also, participants will discuss the origin of hip-hop and highlight the struggles and emotions of several countries and how that is portrayed through hip-hop.
For more information on these events and other happenings, visit the 2006 King Day celebration calendar online at http://www.indiana.edu/~libugls/mlk/calendar_2006.html.
