James Earl Jones recounts King's legacy

The voice was unmistakable, the confidence and strength unparalleled. When James Earl Jones spoke at the IU Auditorium Tuesday night, people listened. And he spoke about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and King's love of literature. \nPeople of all ages packed the main level of the venue to listen to the man whose famed acting career has spanned four decades and countless roles, from Darth Vader to Othello. Jones came to speak at IU as part of the University's celebration of Black History Month. \nJones said King loved to read books, both classical and contemporary, and that he often drew inspiration from this devotion to literature. \nHe said in his speech that King's work during the civil rights movement was not only for blacks, but for everyone.\n"(King) was not fighting for the rights of black people only, but for the rights of all people," Jones said in his speech. "His legacy has affected multitudes, but he has also touched individual lives."\nDirector of Diversity Education Eric Love said he enjoyed the message Jones conveyed with his speech.\n"I think he gave us a perspective on King that most of us haven't thought of -- what King thought about the arts, what King read and his personal life," Love said.\nThe program began with remarks by Union Board Lectures Director Amanda Prager, who introduced Jones. The award-winning actor then took the stage for a 35-minute speech, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. \nPeople of all ages were allowed to question Jones on everything from politics to the various roles throughout his career. He then moved to the lobby, where he signed copies of his new book, "Voices and Silences."\nSophomore Brandon Govindarajoo said he thought the program was important because of the wisdom and knowledge contained in Jones' speech. He said he only wished Jones had spoken longer, but that the actor's message was still important. \n"Overall, I still think it was good, a lot of people showed up," Govindarajoo said. "It was a good experience."\nVice President for Institutional Development and Student Affairs Charlie Nelms echoed those sentiments. \n"I thought it was a message of experience, great wisdom, great sense of humor, great composure," Nelms said. "(It was) just reflective of a man 75 years old with a dynamic career."\nNelms went on to say he was pleased with Jones's willingness to answer questions honestly, and said he thought Jones was an excellent choice to speak at IU as a part of Black History Month.\n"I think it's fantastic, for young people especially, to see someone who is 75 years of age, and still has that much ... intellectual vigor," Nelms said "He's very much his own person and I was impressed with that." Jones spoke to what he believed to be a pressing issue in America today: What has the country and society done with Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy? Jones questioned the idea that society has moved passed stereotypes, just that these old stereotypes have been replaced with new ones.\n"Let us be honest, let us be frank," Jones said in his speech. "We all know the problems of prejudice, and we all know the answers."\nJones offered a simple solution to the problems of race that face society today: awareness.\n"Awareness is the place to start, be aware of the problem and you can solve the problem," Jones said in his speech. "We still haven't done enough"