Schools plan King events

PROVO — Brigham Young University continues its annual observance of the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement with a campus event Monday, Jan. 15, while Utah Valley State College is planning a three-day event.

The BYU event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Carillon Bell Tower on the campus's north end with a candlelight processional. The event continues with the Walk of Life as participants make their way to the Wilkinson Center for a King observance holding their candles. Keynote speaker is Michael Styles, director of black affairs at the Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs and program director for the Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission.

The event will be free, and the public is welcome to attend.

The program continues with the Black Student Union Choir performing musical selections. The program also features King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

The Walk of Life program is sponsored by Multicultural Student Services and the Black Student Union. It will be the first of a series of events honoring Black History Month in a celebration called "May We Forever Stand."

For more information, contact Anthony Bates at 801-422-3065 or see the Web site: www.multicultural.byu.edu.

UVSC observes the 13th annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration Jan. 12-17 with keynote speaker Vincent Harding, an associate of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and an organizer of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center. He is also a professor of religion and social transformation at Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

Harding speaks Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. in the Sorensen Center Ragan Theater.

Day of Service on Jan. 15 is at the BYU Wilkinson Center from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and is also on the UVSC calendar.

"The commemoration is important, because it's a chance to remember that Dr. King's contributions to our country didn't end with his death," said Ryan Simmons, English and literature professor at UVSC and one of its organizers. "The issues he spoke out about remain with us today."

The UVSC commemoration includes a traveling exhibit of racist memorabilia, guest lecturers, discussions and a performance by the Calvary Baptist Gospel Choir of Salt Lake City in addition to a presentation of the Donner-Galbraith scholarship and the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Award for the Advancement of Justice and Human Dignity.