On Monday, January 15, Houghton University students, staff, and faculty will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., pioneer of the civil rights movement. The events are free and the public is welcome.

Dr. Meredith Griffin, senior and founding pastor of missional Harvest Christian Fellowship church in Wilmington, Delaware, returns to campus as a keynote speaker for this special event. His chapel talk at 10:30 a.m. will be followed by a discussion led by Dr. Michael Jordan, dean of the chapel at Houghton. Griffin spoke to the campus community earlier this year during September’s Christian Life Emphasis Week.

Afternoon breakout sessions will offer students, faculty members, and guests the opportunity to engage in deeper discussions regarding race, equality, and reconciliation. “Speak Up, Listen Hard: Becoming an Advocate for Racial Equality” will be led by senior communication major Joe Miner. Assistant Professor of Psychology Anna Pettway will facilitate “Through Whose Eyes? What Eye Color Can Teach Us About Racial Segregation.” Dr. Doris Griffin, assistant pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship, will lead a talk related to women, while Dr. Meredith Griffin will examine current issues related to race and diversity.

Following the breakout sessions, the MLK Block Party takes over all three levels of the Reinhold Campus Center, beginning with a student-crafted Soul Food Dinner in the dining hall. At 5:30, the college will dedicate The Mosaic Center, a campus focal point for deep conversations, international connections, and rich learning centered on the diverse experiences of members of the community. Shortly after, a “Night in Harlem” style party – featuring an open mic, music, and more – will kick off in the lower level of the campus center. On the main floor, an arts festival will feature poster screen-printing as well as Blackout Poetry, a visual arts and creative writing activity run by the Writing Center.

The night will conclude with an 8:00 p.m. screening of the newly released film Marshall, starring Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice.

For more information, visit the event Facebook page.