Monday, Jan. 18 marked the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In celebration and appreciation of the historic figure, Ohio University held a week of events to aid remembering King’s work and legacy.
The day was filled with ways of understanding King’s fight and the meaning behind it that still holds presence today.
“As a university, we have been celebrating MLK Day for several years now,” Travis Gatling, co-director of the MLK Juneteenth Planning Committee, said. “And, of course, I think because of MLK and his contributions to civil rights and addressing issues related to social injustice, are just as powerful and meaningful now as they were then. So I think that it's important to continue his legacy with even greater effort. Because we are still faced with similar issues now that he was trying to address through his activism then. And I think it's important for the university to, as we move forward, acknowledge his contributions and to demonstrate to the university community, as well as the Athens community, that even greater effort is needed.”
The fight for social justice has proved prevalent in modern times and this day encourages a start for realization. OU and the town of Athens were able to start the day with a drive-in brunch located at Peden Stadium’s parking lot. Jericka Ducan, a CBS News Correspondent, spoke at this event.
During the brunch, there was a silent march viewable from the stadium. The march stood in solidarity to honor MLK and his work. However, with COVID-19, the silent march had to make accommodations.
“We're going to have a branch driving, so anyone who's coming can come in with a car and drive in and park to be a part of that,” Vanessa Morgan-Nai, coordinator for Multicultural Advising and African American Student Success and co-chair of the MLK Juneteenth Planning Committee, said. “We'll have a screen and you can watch and listen to your radio, by just doing this so people can still gather but safely.”
OU is celebrating MLK’s legacy all week long. On Tuesday, there is a self-care and activism talk hosted through Zoom. The goal of this activity is to lead to the understanding of activism. The first step to understanding activism is talking about how it has been portrayed over past years and present.
Thursday holds opportunity for three different workshops. All three will be targeting the conversation of activism using strategies for combating racism, understanding the functionality of safe protest and developing anti-racist aspirations.
“Then, on Friday, we're going to do something with a community, as well with the arts, to showcase and highlight Black art and Black work,” Morgan-Nai said. “And then in the evening, we'll have some fun with trivia nights for students to look forward to. We want to infuse all of these into the work and knowing how to move forward with social justice issues but at the same time taking care of ourselves and still moving the work forward.”
From Jan. 18 to Feb. 19, there will be a school supply drive for local Athens elementary schools. This drive can be supported by all of Athens with drop-offs at OU’s College Bookstore, 50 S. Court St. and the Dollar General, 1016 E. State St., This drive is a way for the school and people of Athens to do a service for others in their society.
With a week full of events, MLK legacy can be better remembered and better restored.
“Being able to recognize his purpose and his vision is important to me, not only as a minority professional, but just in general to really realize and remind ourselves that we still have a lot of work to do in this country,” Ebony Green, assistant dean for advising and student services, said. “I'm pretty proud of Ohio University. Part of it is reiterating the story, the purpose and planning and moving forward and continuing to work on being able to be available on resources, not just our local Athens community, or the state of Ohio, but nationally. As we start back out into the world and let them reflect on the uncomfortable conversations and the uncomfortable actions that we've had to expand in our country, even as closer to home to the state or region.”
