November 17, 2004
Purdue honors memory of Martin Luther King Jr.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will honor the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events beginning Dec. 6 called Affirming the Dream X: Instruments for Change. The events are taking place in recognition of Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 17.
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"Affirming the Dream celebrations began 10 years ago when the first Day of Service was organized," said Alysa Rollock, vice president for human relations. "We hope this year that every member of the Purdue community will choose to be an instrument for change through the activities we are planning."
The Office of the Vice President for Human Relations is sponsoring Affirming the Dream X: Instruments for Change in collaboration with the Diversity Resource Office, Black Cultural Center, Office of the Vice President for Housing and Food Services, and the Boiler Volunteer Network.
Events will include:
• Gifts-in-kind drive. Dec. 6 through Jan. 12. Collection boxes will be placed in residence halls and participating university buildings for donations of family health items such as soap, deodorant, shampoo and baby products along with underwear, socks, hats, mittens and gloves. A complete list of these items will be posted at each collection site. The items will be donated to the Food Finders Food Bank Inc., which serves 18 Indiana counties, including Tippecanoe County.
• Day of Service. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17. Open to Purdue students, faculty, staff members and retirees. Volunteers will spend time with one of more than 100 community service agencies in Tippecanoe County, including those that work with animals, children, senior citizens, health care and the homeless. Volunteers must register before Jan. 12 through the Boiler Volunteer Network in Stewart Center, Room G4, or by calling (765) 496-2450. A volunteer recognition luncheon will take place following the Day of Service.
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• Guest speaker Bertice Berry. 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Stewart Center's Fowler Hall. Berry overcame stereotypes, generalizations and clichés to earn her doctorate in sociology and become an award-winning entertainer, lecturer and comedienne. She is the best-selling author of "I'm On My Way, But Your Foot is on my Head," "Redemption Song," "The Haunting of Hip Hop" and "You Might Be Ghetto If." Free and open to the public.
• Faculty and staff luncheon. "Purdue and Diversity during the Life and Times of Martin Luther King Jr. – A Retrospective." 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 19. Stewart Center, Room 218 A-B. Denise Driscoll, diversity resource specialist, will provide a glimpse of Purdue during the life and times of Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) with pictures and descriptions of programs, units and departments. She will focus on what has changed – and what has not changed – for underrepresented ethnic groups and women on the Purdue campus. Preregistration is required by calling the Diversity Resource Office at (765) 494-7307.
• Student presentation. "Drum Major for Justice." 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jan. 19. Stewart Center, Room 218 A-B. In 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. said, "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; say that I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. … I just want to leave a committed life behind." Jacquett Wade, coordinator of student diversity services, will help students learn how they can become drum majors for the same justice, peace and righteousness.
More information about Affirming the Dream X: Instruments for Change is available online.
Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu
Sources: Alysa Rollock, (765) 496-3781, acrollock@purdue.edu
Janice Beard, Office of the Vice President for Human Relations, (765) 494-5830, jabeard@purdue.edu
Jacquett Wade, (765) 496-7307, jcwade@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: The media can cover all events.
Related Web site:
The King Center
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