The South Carolina community will come together in the coming weeks to honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with myriad events leading up to Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 18. The Leadership and Service Center will host its annual Martin Luther King Jr. week from Jan. 16-23, and the university will also host other commemorative events.
The theme of this year's Martin Luther King Jr. week is "Keep Moving Forward," and the events throughout the week will center around service. Events include two days of service, a food drive and a school supply drive. Those wishing to register for the days of service can do so on the Leadership and Service Center website.
The university will host a commemorative breakfast on Jan. 12 at Williams-Brice Stadium. The theme of this year's breakfast is Promoting Education and How to Bring Equality and Justice for All People in America, and social justice advocate Senator Marlon Kimpson is this year's featured speaker. Admission is $5 for students and $10 for others. Tickets can be purchased through the Koger Center Box Office.
The university will also join the NAACP for their annual "King Day at the Dome" to rally for education equity across South Carolina at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 18. Participants plan to gather at Zion Baptist Church on Washington Street for prayer before marching to the Statehouse.
Many prominent figures in the local community will come together on Jan. 14 for this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Law Forum. Panelists including Chief Justice Jean Toal, former Columbia mayor Bob Coble, state Rep. Mia McLeod and Professor Eboni Nelson will discuss how King's philosophy applies to current events and the benefits of education in combating today's problems. This event, located in the USC Law School Auditorium, is free and open to the public.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Association of African American Students will host Dr. Cornel West in the Russell House Theater on Jan. 19 for a discussion of the legacy of King's work and his lasting impacts.
Celebrations will also be held on to campus to mark the week. The Koger Center will play home to a Gospel concert featuring the Brookland Baptist Gospel Choir on Jan. 17. Admission is $8 for student and $10 for others. The Office of Student Learning and Engagement and Office of Multicultural Student Affairs will also host a screening of the Academy Award winning film "Selma," which chronicles King's leadership of the historic march, in the Russell House Theater on Jan. 18.