Marc Lamont Hill, a leading intellectual voice and the host of HuffPost Live and Black Entertainment Television News, will present the keynote lecture for the 29th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium in January.
Hill will deliver the traditional address at 10 a.m. Jan. 19 in Hill Auditorium. It is the centerpiece of the symposium, which presents more than 30 events in January and February. It is one of the top national observances honoring King.
The symposium theme, selected by the MLK Jr. Symposium Planning Committee, is “Unity: Not Uniformity.” It is inspired by a quote from Coretta Scott King about joining Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X’s widow, on stage at the National Black Political Convention in 1972.
“I think the fact that we were there together presented some semblance of unity. Unity that doesn’t mean uniformity, and I think that sent a message to the American people — Black people and white people alike,” Coretta King said. “I think that the overall significance of that coming together said to us that we can together do a lot more than we can being separated and divided.”
more information
- MLK Symposium website
- The keynote address will be simulcast at the U-M Detroit Center, 3663 Woodward Ave.
Gloria Taylor, Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives executive director, says the MLK Jr. Symposium Planning Committee is made up of faculty, administrators, students and staff that meet monthly. One of their primary responsibilities is to present a theme each year to inspire collective programming campuswide honoring the legacy of King.
“This year’s theme ‘Unity: Not Uniformity’ is an excellent example of how the many colleges, units and departments come together in unity to present interpretations of the theme that uniquely reflects the interests, challenge and resources of the greater community,” Taylor says.
Since his college days in Philadelphia, Hill has been a social justice activist and organizer. He holds a doctorate degree with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania. He has worked on campaigns to end the death penalty and to release political prisoners. In 2011, Ebony Magazine named him one of America’s 100 most influential black leaders.
A distinguished professor of African-American studies at Morehouse College, Hill has written three books, and is a political contributor for CNN. He has received awards from the National Association of Black Journalists, GLAAD and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. OAMI coordinates the keynote lecture, which is co-sponsored by the University Library.
Other key symposium events include:
• The 17th MLK Children and Youth Program event, 8:30 a.m.-3 pm. Jan. 19 in the Modern Language Building, 812 E. Washington St. Young people from southeast Michigan K-12 communities explore King’s legacy and issues surrounding the civil rights movement through storytelling, small group instruction, creative projects, musical performances and more.
• “Embracing the Art of Change,” 2015 Business & Finance MLK Convocation, 1-3 p.m. Jan. 19, Rackham Auditorium. Graffiti artist, author, entrepreneur and philanthropist Erik Wahl’s performance offers a visual metaphor to the core message of the MLK celebration.
• “Poetic Storytelling: A Spoken Word Performance on Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice on the College Campus,” 4-5:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Rackham Auditorium, with the First Wave Hip Hop and Urban Arts Learning Community. First Wave is a touring ensemble that draws upon the artistry, resources and perspectives of the hip hop generation to produce theater and choreography on pressing social justice issues.
• “The Power of One,” William K. McInally Memorial Lecture with Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, 5-6:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, Blau Auditorium. Ndaba Mandela is co-founder and chairman of the Africa Rising Foundation dedicated to promoting Africa around the world and to increasing its potential for growth in education, employment and international corporate alliances.
