Oregon State to Host 25th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

A complete list of OSU MLK celebration events can be found inside.

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at 6:01 PM April 4th, 1968, on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

(CORVALLIS) - Oregon State University will celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a two-week celebration Jan. 8th-26th at multiple locations throughout Corvallis.

The celebration includes the popular Peace Breakfast and an appearance by civil rights activist Angela Davis.

Activities, based around the theme of “The Dream Can No Longer Be Deferred,” are open to the public and most are free.

OSU will cancel classes on Monday, Jan. 15th, to allow students, faculty and staff to observe the celebration and join the 25th annual Peace Breakfast, which starts at 7:30 AM in the Memorial Union Ballroom on the OSU campus.

Featured events at the breakfast include the presentation of several community service awards and guest speaker Larry Roper, vice provost for Student Affairs.

Tickets will be available at the door, but organizers advise patrons to buy tickets in advance from the MU business office, as the event regularly sells out.

Tickets, which go on sale starting Monday, are $10 for general admission and $6 for students; children ages 5-and-under will be admitted free.

Call (541) 737-4381 for more information.

Also on Jan. 16th, a “Kids for Equality” lunch with activities for preschool up to high school students will be held from noon to 1:00 PM at OSU’s Native American Longhouse, 26th Street and Jefferson Way.

“Round Up Your Piggy, Learning How to Save” will be held from 1:00 to 3:30 PM at the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, 25th Street and Monroe Avenue.

A candlelight walk and vigil are scheduled for that evening.

The walk starts at 6:00 PM at the Black Cultural Center with the procession ending with a program and vigil at the north steps of the MU.

Afterward, a roundtable discussion will be held at the MU Lounge.

“Your Voice, Your Conference: Awareness, Solidarity, Action” will be held Jan. 17th-19th on campus with Davis as keynote speaker starting at 5:30 PM Friday, Jan. 19th, in the Austin Auditorium at LaSells Stewart Center.

Davis, a social activist and professor of history of consciousness and feminist studies at University of California at Santa Cruz, will have a book signing after her speech.

“Your Voice, Your Conference” is a student-led and student-organized conference that is intended to be an outlet for students, faculty and community members to bring awareness about issues affecting not only students but people all over the world, and also to initiate social change.

For information on the conference, go to oregonstate.edu/communityservicecenter

Other ongoing MLK events include a “Vintage Images of Freedom Marches” art exhibit, which includes photos and news clips from local 1960s freedom marches. The exhibit will be on display at the MU Ballroom through February.

“Sign the Pledge,” to reaffirm support for nonviolent social change, equality and justice, freedom and peace, takes place at the MU Student Lounge, Jan. 10th-19th.

Other MLK celebration events include:

Tuesday, Jan. 9th:

4:00 PM: “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Teacher,” Celebration 2007 course presented by the Department of Ethnic Studies, Kidder Hall Room 350.

Thursday, Jan. 11th:

6:00 PM: An oratory contest addressing social issues will be held. Sign up for the contest by Jan. 9th. Winners will receive scholarships and prizes, MU Lounge. For information contact Lauren Smith at smithlau@onid.orst.edu.

7:00 PM: “Building a Beloved Community,” event featuring Kenneth Little Hawk as keynote speaker and the Citizen's Martin Luther King, Jr. Award presentation. Hosted by the City of Corvallis Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. Majestic Theatre.

Friday, Jan. 12th:

3:00 PM: Two-hour children's celebration at the Majestic Theatre.

Sunday, Jan. 14th:

6:00 PM: Sleep Out for Hunger and Homelessness, an event to increase awareness about hunger and homelessness, Corvallis City Hall.

Monday, Jan. 15th:

7:30 AM: Peace Breakfast, along with public service awards presentations. Tickets are $10, $6 for students with children under 5 admitted free (MU Ballroom). Followed by student events at Native American Longhouse and Black Cultural Center, as well as a candlelight vigil and public roundtable discussion.

Tuesday, Jan. 16th:

5:00 PM: Birthday party for Martin Luther King Jr., Black Cultural Center.

6:00 PM: “Rise and Fall of Jim Crow,” a two-hour screening of parts one and two of a documentary on life for blacks in the segregated South following the Civil War, open discussion following screening, MU Journey Room.

Wednesday, Jan. 17th:

3:30 PM: “The Red Power and Black Power,” a forum discussing the African American power and the Native American power, MU Room 211.

6:00 PM: “Global Health in the 21st Century with Charlie Fautin,” a presentation by the Benton County Health Department, MU Lounge.

8:00 PM: An Evening of Song and Poetry, MU Journey Room.

Thursday, Jan. 18th:

2:30 PM: “Red Team, Blue Team: A Tale of Two Teams,” interactive activity followed by a discussion, MU Board Room.

4:00 PM: “The Way Home,” a film about race, gender, and class in the United States; open discussion following screening, MU Journey Room.

6:00 PM: “Rise and Fall of Jim Crow,” a two-hour screening of parts three and four of a documentary on life for blacks in the segregated South following the Civil War, open discussion following screening, MU Journey Room.

Friday, Jan. 19th:

2:00 PM: Interfaith prayer service with community members from different spiritual, religious, and philosophical backgrounds, MU Room 211.

5:30 PM: “Your Voice, Your Conference,” keynote speaker Angela Davis, LaSells Stewart Center.

10:00 PM: After House OSU Initiative, Memorial Union.

Friday, Jan. 26th:

10:00 PM: All university dance, “25 Years of Celebration,” through 2:00 AM. Free to all OSU students, please bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the Linn-Benton Food Share, at Club Escape.