Washington and Lee University
When:
January 21,
2008
Where:
Lee Chapel
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated on the campus of Washington and Lee University wtih a birthday party for the children of the community, a lecture delivered by a distinguished guest who embodies the spirit of Dr. King, and a time of remembrance.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the only American federal public holiday commemorating the life of an African-American. First celebrated on Jan. 20, 1969 in Atlanta, Georgia, for many years Jan. 15 (his birthday) was observed as a public holiday in 27 states and Washington DC. In 1986 President Ronald Reagan declared the 3rd Monday in January a federal public holiday.
Schedule of Events
12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Public remarks on the legacy of Dr. King by Dean Rodney Smolla, Rev. Matthew Watts and Rev. Thurman Echols in the Millhiser Moot Court Room, Sidney Lewis Hall.
12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Birthday Party Celebration, Elrod Commons Living Room
7:00 p.m. Celebration Lecture by Charles Johnson, Author
8:45 p.m. Candlelight Procession
9:00 p.m. Book signing, Evans Dining Hall
Charles Johnson is one of the most significant and influential African-American writers living today. He is the author of four novels:
He has also published three collections of short fiction: The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1986), Soulcatcher (1998), and Dr. King's Refrigerator and Other Bedtime Stories (2005).
In addition to his fiction writing, Johnson is a significant voice in contemporary philosophy, holding a Ph.D. in philosophy from SUNY-Stonybrook and having published two major works of philosophy: Being and Race: Black Writing Since 1970 (1988) and Turning the Wheel: Essays on Buddhism and Other Writings (2003). He is also the author of two books of cartoons and has published hundreds of cartoons and other pieces of visual art in his career. A practicing Buddhist and martial arts expert, Johnson explores the cross-fertilization of many intellectual traditions, from eastern mysticism to the African-American church, from the pre-Socratic philosophers to the teachings of Dr. King.
