King’s dream kept alive

Southern University students, faculty, staff, and the Baton Rouge community celebrated the life and works of Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 16 in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.
“We have come today to celebrate the life of a man who was not afraid to stand, a martyr to a cause,” said Justin McCorkle, Student Government Association President. “Let us all take home with us a piece of the dream to fulfill.”
The program began with an invocation, music by the Southern University Interdenominational Choir and the Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church Choir. Greetings, followed by a solo praise dance by a Southern University Look Dancer, were next.
The guest speaker, Rev. Fred Jeff Smith of Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Baton Rouge then delivered his speech on “Keeping the Dream Alive.”
“Self-hatred, self-loathing, low morals and goals are wasted opportunities,” Smith said. “We are destroying ourselves and putting the blame on others such as a political party, rich people or a white person is an excuse.”
Smith said there were innumerable successful African Americans in society and the portrayal of blacks in the media as criminals is erroneous information. Smith also commented that as we celebrate King, we must also remember the nameless and faceless individuals not known in history who also made an impact on society.
Later that evening, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., sponsored the third annual King March and Vigil. Students were walked from the dormitories in the rear of the campus to the King Memorial Stone in front of John B. Cade Library. In addition to prayer and songs, members of the organization spoke on the importance of being college students and living a life in which King’s work would not be in vain.
Raymond Downs, vice chancellor for student affairs, said since Southern University has a holistic approach with its students, programs such as the King annual event helps to mold the total individual. Downs also stated that Southern is one of Louisiana’s greatest resources and it must be preserved.
King is known to be one of the driving forces behind the civil rights movement. Born in Atlanta in 1929, the clergyman and civil rights leader created the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and led non-violent protests to ensure equal rights for blacks in America, especially in the Jim Crow South. In addition, he was a Nobel Peace Prize winner and author. He was killed on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, while planning assistance for striking sanitation workers. His birthday is celebrated as a national holiday on the third Monday in January of every year.
“Dr. King was a visionary who challenged America. As we remember, let us not defy, but honor integrity, bravery, and determination,” Smith said. “We must make up our mind to do better and work harder. We must energize the Gospel as King did.”