Unity March honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy to be held on campus

Unity March honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy to be held on campus

Alcorn State University will acknowledge the life and legacy of Civil Rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during an annual celebration of his life.

The University’s Office of Educational Equity & Inclusion/Diversity with Student Engagement will host the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Walk and Program Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m. The march will begin and end at the Oakland Memorial Chapel, also known as the Horseshoe. A program will be hosted after the march.

LLJuna Weir, director of Alcorn’s Department of Educational Equity Inclusion/Diversity with Student Engagement, spoke about the importance of Alcornites keeping King’s storied legacy alive.

“Our students, faculty, and staff should never forget that Dr. King marched in many states for social justice, better jobs, enhanced quality of life, and freedom,” said Weir. “We should continue the legacy that Dr. King began.”

The Rev. Dr. C. Edward Rhodes, director of the Hiram Rhodes Revels Institute for Ethical Leadership, hopes that the march inspires students to adopt King’s courage and leadership style.

“This generation of students must know that they are heirs of a legacy of resistance to oppression that made their access to a better life possible,” said Rhodes. “Dr. King and many in the movement were young change agents, and hopefully, their witness will inspire new drum majors for justice.”