MSU 2023
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Commemorative Celebration

MSU 2023
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Commemorative Celebration
Jan. 12-20

The 2023 MLK Planning Committee, made up of students and staff, has been working since spring 2021 to ensure this year’s events go off without a hitch. These include the 6th annual Diversity Research Showcase on Friday (Jan. 13), where undergraduates will present their work on “issues of diversity that advance inclusion;” a wellness event on Saturday (Jan. 14) featuring roller skating, giveaways, food, wellness activity stations and an informational health and wellness workshop; a cultural showcase during the Springticipation Student Involvement Engagement Fair on Tuesday (Jan. 17); a virtual tour of historical MLK landmarks in Atlanta on Jan. 20, in collaboration with Morehouse College and a four-day, social justice-themed film series from Jan. 17-20.

The jam-packed celebration also includes numerous main events, such as a community dinner, a jazz concert and a commemorative march. A full list of events can be found at inclusion.msu.edu.

“Everyone (on the planning committee), from the students to the chairs, really tried to engage different people from across the university that are not necessarily people of color,” said Tammye Coles, associate director of the Office of Spartan Experiences. “The MSU President, CORES (Council of Racial and Ethnic Students) individuals are always involved, but they always try to at least get folks from other, smaller organizations to be involved to try to make sure that everybody feels they have an opportunity to participate.”

“I think they certainly want to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and all that he meant in terms of social justice and making opportunities available for all students, irrespective of race, economic conditions, all of those things,” Coles said. “But they really want to get to the crux of why he did what he did. Even when you listen to the speech ‘I Have a Dream,’ the very first part talks about the economic conditions and disparities and a lot of the social justice deals at the time. The action behind the dream was what Dr. King wanted people to do something about, he wanted to be able to provide a blueprint for what they were doing to make society a better place.”