The Black Student Association of UTM and the City of Martin hosted the 2nd Annual Celebration and Breakfast honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20.
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs David Belote began the day with an address in remembrance of King.
“There are five things that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings should persuade us to do and that is to model, inspire, challenge, enable and encourage,” Belote said.
This year’s theme, Dream With A Vision, Live With A Purpose, lined up with each song and commemoration given.
“The dream is what we will always remember from Dr. King’s speech,” said Mayor Randy Brundige.
The audience listened as Reverend Harold Conner, 96, told his history of being the first African-American administrator at UTM. In 1969, he started a collegiate choir that consisted of 100 black students.
Portraits of Dr. King on the big screen and around the podium gave a sense of reflection as the UTM Gospel Choir sung, “Every Praise Is To Our God” and “Take Me To The King.”
“I’ve got a dream to remember,” said keynote speaker Anthony Prewitt, Phase II Housing Director and adviser for Alpha Phi Alpha.
“Don’t be content with just settling. Move to make those dreams a reality,” Prewitt said.
Martin Housing Authority Stuart Center Program Coordinator Robert Nunley recited King’s I Have A Dream. speech. Nunley revisited a memory of growing up where segregation was normal for him as a child, but at the age of 10, his family moved to Indiana where he became a part of a school that was desegregated.
“I recall vaguely saying ‘yes sir’ to one of my teachers, and the teacher held me after class to tell me I didn’t have to say ‘yes sir’ or ‘no sir’ to him. I couldn’t understand why he was telling me this, and to this day I still really don’t understand. I wasn’t saying ‘yes sir,’ because he was white, I was saying ‘yes sir,’ because my father had taught me to respect my elders,” Nunley said.
Many found the day as an important one to remember the ideology of King.
“Days like this remind me that hopes always produce greater dreams. This day is a perfect example of a dream manifested. All of us of every color sharing together in celebration of a life,” said Pastor Alvin Summers.
Students found the event to be important, as well.
“I could have been at home asleep, but this day is important because Dr. Martin Luther King wanted to make America a better place,” said Westview sophomore Jakiah Edwards.
Three awards were given during the celebration. The Alpha Award was presented to Pastor Alvin Summers, Bryce Holmes and Joe Henderson. The Black Student Association Torch Award recipient was Dr. Annie Carol Jones of Multicultural Affairs and The Harold Conner/City of Martin Award recipient was Gene Busby.
“The significance of this day is for Dr. King and what he did for not only African-Americans, but what he also did for the whole country,” Jones said.
UTM Chancellor Dr. Tom Rakes was there also and spoke on Civil Rights.
“Transition has occurred and is occurring. We have to choose if we want the bullet or the blessing,” Rakes said.
The celebration ended with the entire room standing in unity, singing the hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The final quote that lingered on after the closing was one by King himself.
“Life’s most persistent question is ‘what are you doing for others?’”
