CSB/SJU to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., with a number of campus events Jan. 18-23

Martin Luther King, Jr., lent his voice to the causes and people who had been ignored and not heard for generations.

It's appropriate that voices are a big part of the events celebrating MLK Week Jan. 18-23 at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University.

The schools will honor the late civil rights leader and the movements for which he tirelessly worked with a series of events on both campuses. Throughout the week, voices will be heard from students, faculty, staff and guests about King and the state of civil rights in America.

Here's a rundown of the events, by day:

Monday, Jan. 18

An MLK Teach-In runs from 8 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. at both CSB and SJU. Faculty members from the theology, history, sociology, philosophy, chemistry, political science, peace studies, communication and theater departments will conduct sessions throughout the day. Mary Dana Hinton, president of CSB, will present a session, "From Spirituals to Hip-Hop: Social Justice Through Song," at 3:20 p.m. at room 204, Gorecki Center, CSB. Event organizers are asking participants to fill out an online form if they intend to visit any of the sessions.  

Other human and civil rights activists throughout history will be highlighted in the Gorecki Center lobby.

An Intercollegiate MLK Oratory Contest is at 7 p.m. at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU. The contest is open to CSB, SJU and college students and recent graduates from the St. Cloud area. SJU President Michael Hemesath will give an introductory statement, followed by the student competition. Students are being asked to interpret an MLK quote, no longer than five minutes. A $500 prize will be given to the best speech. The entry deadline is 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Tuesday, Jan. 19

"Stories at the Bus Stops" will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Link bus stops at CSB and SJU. Students will read brief stories from notable civil rights leaders when they were younger and experiencing the injustices of the time.

The Mixed Blood Theatre presents "Dr. King's Dream" at 7:30 p.m. at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU. The play, starring Warren C. Bowles in a solo performance as King, movingly chronicles King's career from the 1955-56 Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott to his 1968 death in Memphis. The performance is free.

Wednesday, Jan. 20

Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, professor of sociology at Duke University, will give the MLK keynote speech at 7:30 p.m. at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU. Bonilla-Silva's work in the last 20 years has been concentrated in the area of race. He contends "that racism is fundamentally about 'racial domination,' hence, racism is a collective and structural phenomenon in society."

Thursday, Jan. 21

"A Journey Toward Understanding" walk-through is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Founder's Room (room 170), Quadrangle Building, SJU. Students from CSB and SJU have submitted stories regarding their experiences around the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in college. The stories will be posted on the walls of the room for reading. A discussion of those stories and a community conversation will be held at 7 p.m. at the Founder's Room.

Deborah Pembleton, assistant professor of global business leadership at CSB and SJU, will present "Global Leadership, Cultural Competence and the Gospel Music Legacy of Sr. Thea Bowman," at 4:15 p.m. at the TRC Board Room, Main Building, CSB. Bowman, who was chair of the English Department at Virterbo College, La Crosse, Wisconsin, endeavored to unite people of different backgrounds to achieve a common vision of mutual understanding, respect and acceptance of one another. 

Friday, Jan. 22

A poetry slam and open mic is at 7 p.m. at O'Connell's in the Haehn Campus Center, CSB. The student-produced event will include poems and spoken arts by students at CSB and SJU.

Saturday, Jan. 23

A talent showcase is at 7 p.m. at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU. The showcase will include song, dance and spoken arts from CSB and SJU students, as well as several professional performers. Immediately following the showcase, "Food for the Soul" will be served at the Founder's Room (room 170), Quadrangle Building, SJU.

In addition to these on-campus events, Hinton is delivering the keynote address at the 33rd Anniversary Freedom Fund Banquet Sunday, Jan. 17, at the Best Western Kelly Inn, St. Cloud. The banquet starts with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by a dinner and then Hinton's speech, "Education, the Pipeline to Success." The banquet is sponsored by the St. Cloud National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.