Lee University will commemorate the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events beginning Monday, Jan. 19, continuing through the week. Events are designed to reflect on King’s enduring impact on justice, unity, and equality, while also providing opportunities for community engagement, education, and celebration.  
  
The week’s theme, “A Day…On & A Life…On” emphasizes a life of action rather than apathy, encouraging participants to honor King’s legacy by engaging in learning and service.   
  
“The essence of the week is to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., his philosophy, his teachings, and his reliance on God—specifically putting Jesus’ words into practice, ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’” said Gloria Scott-Richmond, director of racial and ethnic relations at Lee. “This whole week serves as a reminder to us all at the beginning of the year to make sure that we have that biblical sense of equity and justice.”  
  
The celebration begins Monday with the annual Cleveland Unity March in downtown Cleveland at 9 a.m. Participants are encouraged to gather at the Courthouse by 8:45 a.m. Following the march, refreshments will be provided in Lee University’s School of Business lobby, and a community worship service will be held at 10:15 a.m. in Pangle Hall. The service will focus on unity among the Body of Christ and among our community, according to Scott-Richmond.   
  
After a lunch break, afternoon events will provide additional opportunities for reflection and learning. At 1:30 p.m., various seminars presented by community members, Lee employees, and students will be hosted in the Humanities Building; an interactive art activity in the Communication Arts Building; and a Quiz Bowl. 
  
Squires Library will provide a quiet space for reading and reflection and a screening of “The Color of Friendship” and “Our Friend Martin,” from 1:30-4:30 p.m. A drum circle will take place in the Science and Math Complex Medlin Great Room and less-known speeches by King will be featured in the Communication Arts Building Screening Room from 2-3:15 p.m.   
  
In celebration of MLK Jr. Day, as a pilot interactive workshop-seminar, one of the Sodexo chefs will prepare one of King’s favorite dishes for a limited number of guests to enjoy in the Deacon Jones Dining Hall on the Sharp Pedestrian Mall. The workshop will be held from 2:35-3:30 p.m. 
  
Another MLK Seminar will be hosted in Squires Recital Hall, located in the Humanities Building, from 2:35-3:30 p.m. This seminar will highlight composers of color and will be hosted by Dr. Joanna Pepple, assistant professor of musicology, and Dr. Leonardo Rosario, assistant professor of strings and orchestra director.  
  
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., there will be a Music of the Civil Rights Era presentation. 
  
Events will continue on campus throughout the week. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 10:45 a.m. a chapel service will take place in the Conn Center with a message from Scott-Richmond as well as post-chapel dining hall lunch conversation available to students and employees in the Deacon Jones Dining Hall glass rooms.  
  
At 7 p.m., a “Table of Brotherhood” discussion will be held. This discussion is inspired by King’s “I Have A Dream” speech—“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood”—and the audience will hear from differing perspectives on several topics. The table talk will host members of the Cleveland community, Lee students, and employees.  
  
On Thursday, Jan. 22, another chapel service will be hosted in the Conn Center at 10:45 a.m. with a message from Chris Singleton, a former professional athlete who has become an inspirational speaker and best-selling author following the loss of his mother in a racially motivated mass shooting. There will be a breakfast conversation prior to this service from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the dining hall. Both morning chapel services will be livestreamed on https://leeu.live. 
  
On Jan. 22 at 7 p.m., Lee will host “A Life…On: Cleveland Trailblazers.” The audience will hear from senior citizens in Cleveland who experienced the reality of the civil rights movement in Cleveland and across the nation.   
  
The week’s events will conclude with “Songs and Stories: A Sing-Along Tribute to the Winans’ Family” in the Lee Chapel on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. Instrumentalists and vocalists from surrounding areas will form a tribute band to honor the legacy of the Winans’ family.   
  
Members of the Cleveland community are encouraged to join faculty and students for the celebrations. In lieu of Monday classes, students are encouraged to attend the MLK Jr. Day events.     
  
“Everyone is invited!” said Scott-Richmond. “Come with an open heart and open ears. Again, let’s not just talk about unity, but let’s be that person that God can rely on to be an agent of change and transformation.”  
 
For more information or a detailed schedule of events, visit adayon/, email [email protected], or call (423) 614-8238.