Western Carolina University has several speakers and programs as part of its annual Martin Luther King celebration, which is themed “Beloved Community: Peace and Unity,” running from Jan. 20 to Jan. 25.
• TV show host, political science professor and writer Melissa V. Harris-Perry will be the keynote speaker at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Harris-Perry, host of the weekend news and opinion show “Melissa Harris-Perry” on MSNBC, also is a professor of political science at Tulane University. Her publications include the recently released book Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes and Black Women in America and the award-winning “Barbershops, Bibles and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought.” In addition, she writes for The Nation magazine, which features her monthly column titled “Sister Citizen.”
• A unity march on campus begins at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Illusions in the University Center. Hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the march will be followed by a birthday party for King.
• The screening of Part 1 of “King: From Montgomery to Memphis” will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 in the theater of the University Center. Part II is at 6 p.m. Jan. 22 followed by a discussion.
• A student will reenact King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech at noon Jan. 22 from the University Center balcony.
• “Open Mic Night” will be hosted by Kappa Alpha sorority and Last Minute Productions at 6 p.m. Jan. 24 at Illusions in the University Center.
University administrative offices will be closed Jan. 20 in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
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