Celebrating MLK, Jr.

Outside was cold and snowy! Inside the Worcester Centrum last Monday on 15 January, MLK, Jr. Day, feelings were warm and the atmosphere somewhat animated. Janine Fondon, editor and publisher of UNITY FIRST, hosted the Sixteenth Annual MLK, Jr. Community Breakfast, which included appearances by Worcester Mayor, Ray Mariano and US Representative James McGovern; both spoke of the need for community and its responsibilities in Worcester. The highlight of the program was undoubtedly the speech by the accomplished Horace C. Boyer, Professor Emeritus, from U-Mass, Springfield, whose theme was about the importance of gospel music in African American culture.

Professor Boyer, complete with piano and choir, addressed the audience for more than 45 minutes; he skillfully interwove history, commentary, music and a bit of dance in a presentation that at once invoked the best of African American oratory tradition and scholarship in one form. His interpretation of gospel songs and, indeed, his ability to present them in musical form, was at times spellbinding.

Another highlight of the program was when Holy Cross' Rhonda Brown's presented the MLK Awards for best essays to young students from grades 4 through 8 at Worcester schools. Copies of the thoughtful, award-winning essays were included with the program.

Later on the same day at WPI, Minority Affairs Dawn Johnson hosted a Martin Luther King Remembrance Program, billed as a celebration of the legacy of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement, featuring a video of the March on Washington, a birthday cake and reflections from the WPI community. Humanities Professor Bland Addison spoke about his personal experience being from the south and a partner in a inter-racial marriage. Student Activities Director James McLaughlin reflected on raising children to value the individual in an environment where elements of racism still persist. Tom Thomson from the Office of International Students and Scholars spoke about how Dr. King's legacy had become an international inspiration and role model for many in all parts of the world. ESL instructor Billy McGowan hinted at some of the changes in Mississippi since King's time.

On Wednesday evening, Dawn Johnson presented "Shattered Dreams," featuring Leon Williams doing a dramatic rendering of an MLK speech at 72, the age that Dr. King would be were he alive today. Williams' powerful oration offered a less-than-positive appraisal of US society and the African American community. In this would-be King speech, Williams offered commentary on the ills of society, "I try to put Dr. King's life in perspective." "I long for the day when the out-group teaches the in-group" Williams said at one point. "I am saddened by the silence of good people."

After William's dramatic rendering, he opened the floor to questions from the audience. "How would Dr. King feel about Colin Powell being Secretary of State [in the Bush administration]?" Williams ventured, "I don't know much about the political arena." Williams ended the program with a revelation about his mother, born in Alabama, "hating white people" and how he'd had to break with this part of her experience, eventually moving to work for diversity at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.