Lehigh Community Gathers to Honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s Work and Words

At the conclusion of the event, Jennifer Swann, professor of biological sciences and director of student success in the College of Arts and Sciences, said discussions in her group made note of the fact that much of what King accomplished was done at a very early age. “So my message to students is that you can be effective now, even at your age,” Swann said. “You can make a difference.”

In addition to asking attendees to consider individual actions they can take, Burke also reminded attendees of upcoming events organized by the MLK Committee, which focused on a yearlong theme of “From Reflection to Action: Where Do We Go From Here?” This year’s keynote address will be delivered in late March by Spelman College President Emerita Beverly Daniel Tatum, a clinical psychologist widely known as an expert in race relations and a thought leader in higher education. Free copies of Tatum’s book were made available to all attendees.

The MLK Committee is organizing reading circles based on Tatum’s influential book, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” There will also be social justice panels focused on immigration and environmental justice over the course of the next semester. More more information can be found at https://www2.lehigh.edu/news/race-relations-expert-beverly-tatum-to-speak-at-lehigh.

Earlier this academic year, the MLK Committee hosted Ibram X. Kendi, who discussed his groundbreaking book, “How to Be an Anti-Racist,” and organized social justice panels on campus activism and community engagement.