ECU celebrates legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with week of events

Blessing Aghimien

Marc Lamont Hill during a previous radio interview.

Almost five decades after his death, East Carolina University is celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week with events to keep his memory alive.

Today at 7 p.m., a keynote address honoring the legacy of Dr. King will be delivered in Wright Auditorium. Titled “Building Community in an Hour of Chaos,” the keynote speaker will be Morehouse College professor Marc Lamont Hill. His message will be centered around unity and civility in America for today’s society.

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets may be picked up at the ECU Central Ticket Office in Mendenhall Student Center or at the door.

In addition to teaching African American studies at Morehouse, Hill is the current host of BET News and VH1 Live as well as a political contributor for CNN. He has received numerous accolades, including awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and being named one of America’s 100 Most Influential Black Leaders by Ebony Magazine.

“Staying unified as a nation is very important, especially at this time in history when things in America can be so divisive,” said freshman communication major Jourdan Carr. “I’m looking forward to what Dr. Hill has to say about this issue in his address.”

Monday, a Day of Service provided an opportunity for ECU students, faculty and staff to spend the day serving others in the community. The Day of Service began with an opening ceremony in the Mendenhall Student Center and continued by sending the event participants to service sites such as the Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina and Stop Human Trafficking from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to volunteer.

“With this event, students from the ECU community can go out and do something for the Greenville community,” said Nicole Blyskal, coordinator for the MLK Day of Service. “This day is all about helping and connecting with others despite our differences, which is exactly what Dr. King stood for.”

At the end, the participants returned to Mendenhall to reflect and share personal thoughts on their day dedicated to serving others. Groups of participants were given a quote from Dr. King to illustrate, creating teamwork amongst the individuals as they worked together to bring words to life on paper through imagery and color.

“I love volunteer work and living my life in a way that benefits other people,” said sophomore communication major Morgan Murray, a member of ECU Leads. “This event has really helped me to learn to look at the bigger picture in terms of my community. The smallest things do have the biggest impact after all.”