Dr. King’s powerful message is still thriving today through the work of the Syracuse University Martin Luther King Celebration Committee.

The 8th annual Dream Week commenced last night with a two-hour ceremony in the Carrier Dome revolving around the theme ‘The King Legacy in the Soul of Our Community,’ and the keynote speech was given by Dr. Ruth Simmons, the first female African American president of Brown University. The celebration will continue for seven days with different activities in the remembrance of Dr. King.

‘We wanted to find someone that exemplified the characteristics of Dr. King and someone who could talk about the characteristics of Dr. King,’ said Kevin Martin, a member of the MLK Committee and a junior philosophy major. ‘Dr. Simmons is symbolic of Dr. King’s vision and she fully represents his dream.’

Beyond her work enriching different academic and diversity aspects of Brown University in her tenure as president, Simmons was also selected as an ‘America’s Best College President’ by Time magazine in 2001, as well as ‘Person to Watch’ by Newsweek magazine and ‘Woman of the Year’ by Ms. Magazine in 2002.

Cora Thomas, the chair of the MLK Committee, introduced Simmons by explaining how Dr. King was always joined by others in his hopes for racial equality and unity.

‘It is important to remember that while we look at Dr. King’s legacy for hope, we also remember that he too would look to others for hope,’ Thomas said.

Simmons began her speech by joking about how even the weather could not stop her from relaying such an important message. She then spoke about Dr. King’s past and how, because he became so involved in national affairs, he and his image were tarnished by both the media and his own community.

Yet, because he pursued on, his work made a lasting difference in the world, Simmons said. Simmons then pleaded the audience, of approximately 1000 students, faculty, staff and members of the community, to go out and make a difference of their own and not let Martin Luther King Jr. Day just be a day of leisure like it has become.

‘We have to stop thinking, ‘What will happen to me if I get involved?’ but, ‘What will happen to others if I don’t?” Simmons said.

The speech went on to talk about how evil still exists today; it’s just more subtle and the fight against it isn’t nearly as apparent. Simmons asked the audience when they last saw a boycott. It’s easy to get involved when there are protests and riots on the street, but what happens when it’s more subtle, Simmons asked.

The address ended with a message from Simmons to the future generation that the battle will never be over, the time to fight is now, and they must go out and make a difference in the world.

The MLK Committee also chose four people who have made a difference in the Syracuse community to receive the Unsung Heroes award in honor of Dr. King’s memory. This year’s winners included Deborah Ellerbe, an SU graduate student who helped raise awareness about HIV; Joanna Masingila, a professor of mathematics at SU, who helped to build a school and educated children in Kenya; Daniel Hesler, a senior at Charles W. Baker High School, who raised money and awareness about blindness in the community; and Peter Sarver, the CEO of Hospice and Palliative Career Associates, who helped spread awareness about HIV in Africa and raise awareness within the Syracuse community.

Other parts of the night were filled with different programs from the Syracuse community. The Black Celestial Choral Ensemble of SU sang different ballads and was eventually joined by SU’s mass choir. Members of the audiences joined in for ‘Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing’ and ‘This Little Light of Mine’. There were also multiple video presentations, dance performances and poetry readings from members of the community in honor of Dr. King’s life and work.

The program concluded with a speech by Carmen Jackson, a member of MLK Committee and a senior communications and rhetorical studies major, who said the soul of Syracuse is rich and diverse because of programs like Dream Week and people such as Dr. King.

Published on January 23, 2005 at 12:00 pm