Marietta College Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a Week-Long Celebration
Empowering Change Through Unity: Honoring Dr. King's Legacy at Marietta College
Marietta College, located in Marietta, Ohio, began its week-long celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy with an inspiring event on Saturday at the Alma McDonough Auditorium. The event highlighted Dr. King's contributions to the fight for equality and justice, focusing on the theme: "Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence."
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A Journey to Montgomery, Alabama
As part of the celebration, students shared experiences from a life-changing trip to Montgomery, Alabama. This trip, taken last year, allowed students to visit historic civil rights landmarks and the Legacy Museum, which chronicles the history of slavery, racial injustice, and the ongoing struggle for equality in the United States.
Arianna Brown and Sarah Watson, two students who attended the trip, reflected on how the experience profoundly impacted them.
“It was very life-changing for me,” said Brown. “I didn’t know most of the things I learned there. I even cried at certain points because it was so emotional and informative. It helped me understand more about my background and history.”
Watson added, “You can read all the facts you want, but until you go there and experience it, it’s completely different. The Legacy Museum and the other sites we visited made everything so much more real and powerful.”
Celebrating Dr. King's Legacy
Both students also shared their thoughts on what celebrating Dr. King’s life means to them.
“Dr. King was a life-changer,” said Brown. “He inspires me to make changes in my own way. There are still things in society that need improvement, and I hope to contribute to positive change, just as he did.”
Watson echoed similar sentiments, saying, “For me, it’s about recognizing and honoring such a great person in our history. Having a day to celebrate him shows that we are moving forward while also respecting and learning from the past.”
A Historic Visit
Dr. King himself visited Marietta College in 1967, addressing a crowd of approximately 3,000 people. Tony Mayle, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Marietta College, reflected on that visit.
“He came to talk about integration and poverty in the United States,” Mayle said. “One of his powerful quotes from that day was, ‘Our skin may be different, but affection dwells in Black and white the same.’”
Mayle emphasized the importance of remembering what Dr. King stood for—equality, equity, and nonviolence. He highlighted the ongoing relevance of these values, noting that King’s ultimate goal was unity and shared humanity.
Keynote Speaker and Acts of Service
Saturday’s celebration featured a keynote speech by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, a civil rights activist who participated in the historic “Bloody Sunday” march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Lowery shared her experiences and the importance of continuing the fight for justice through nonviolent means.
Throughout the week, Marietta College students will participate in acts of service with local community organizations, reflecting Dr. King’s commitment to helping others and building stronger communities.
Bates College Celebrates Nonviolence
Similar sentiments echoed at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where students gathered to honor Dr. King. Erica Chenoweth, a Harvard professor and expert in nonviolent resistance, delivered the keynote address at Bates, emphasizing the power of nonviolent movements in driving social change.
“Movements with strong organizational bases and training in nonviolent action are more likely to maintain discipline and achieve success,” Chenoweth said. Their address shed light on how historical and contemporary nonviolent efforts have led to meaningful progress.
Lessons for the Future
Dr. King’s teachings on nonviolence remain as relevant today as they were during the civil rights movement. Both Marietta and Bates Colleges are using his legacy to inspire students to take action and make a difference in their communities.
Marietta College’s week-long celebration is a reminder of the power of unity, service, and nonviolence. Through events, discussions, and acts of service, students are encouraged to continue Dr. King’s mission of fighting for freedom, justice, and equality for all.
As Watson aptly put it, celebrating Dr. King is about “honoring the past while moving forward.” His vision of a fair and equitable society remains a guiding light, inspiring new generations to continue the work he started.
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Comments (1)
MLK is fascinating! Good work! Great Job!