Commemorative events for Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the University of Richmond began and ended with celebration and action.
A procession of students, faculty and staff initiated the events walking from the Jepson Quad to Cannon Memorial Chapel. The crowd was dotted with signs that read, "Peace," "Love," "Equality" and "Keep Hope Alive."
The procession was trying to do a march reminiscent of the Civil Rights movement, president of Multicultural Student Union, Tajh Ferguson, said to the marchers.
When the crowd settled into the chapel, the Ngoma African Dance Company moved in and around the aisles. They wore greens and pinks, oranges and yellows as they clapped and danced up to the altar to meet Richmond's Umoja Gospel Choir. This university community gathering focused on the question, "What would Martin Luther King Jr. want from us today?"
The keynote speaker was Judge Roger L. Gregory, the first African-American appointed to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. Gregory noted the importance of this particular Martin Luther King Jr. Day, mentioning tomorrow's inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and the progress the United States had made in Civil Rights.
"Now that we have this light," Gregory said, "what are we going to do with it?"
He emphasized that as a community we must continue to move forward together.
"This is a journey," Gregory said, "not a destination."
Richmond students who attended the celebration of King's legacy were excited about tomorrow's inauguration of the United States' first African-American president.
"Actually seeing evidence of the change gives ambition and motivation," said Brittany Scott, a third-year at Richmond's School of Law. But she was worried about a backlash or issues that could arise between blacks and whites within the Obama Administration, she said.
"It makes Dr. King's dream that he fought for even more realistic," said Ferguson, a Westhampton junior who helped organize the processional.
"We do still need to learn from Dr. King's legacy, " she said, arguing that the Richmond student body needed to work against being complacent and should continuously be fighting for different causes.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
President Edward Ayers said he found this generation of college students to have more motivation than he had seen in a long time. Richmond students could learn from King's legacy, he said, through working for, "one thing and giving yourself to that."
He said young people today are, "so impatient to go out and change the world and not stopping to gather all of the tools."
Contact reporter Laurie Guilmartin at laurie.guilmartin@richmond.edu
Support independent student media
You can make a tax-deductible donation by clicking the button below, which takes you to our secure PayPal account. The page is set up to receive contributions in whatever amount you designate. We look forward to using the money we raise to further our mission of providing honest and accurate information to students, faculty, staff, alumni and others in the general public.
Donate Now
