Several upcoming programs and events commemorate the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation.
“One of the key objectives of this commemoration is to draw upon the Emancipation Proclamation and its legacy, along with the work of Dr. King, and to reflect on the meaning of freedom today,” said Chancellor Phyllis M. Wise in a massmail to the campus. “The sesquicentennial is an appropriate moment to reflect on the progress and the work that remains in combatting involuntary servitude and fulfilling the promise of freedom throughout the global community.
Featured events include an art exhibit of Jacob Lawrence’s work at Krannert Art Museum, keynote addresses by professor Thavolia Glymph (Jan. 31) and professor Michelle Alexander (Feb. 20), performances of “Sing the Truth!” (Jan. 19) and Sweet Honey in the Rock (Feb. 9) at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, and a culminating celebration on Feb. 27 featuring Myrlie Evers-Williams with performances by the U. of I. Black Chorus and the Illinois Wind Symphony.
“We are fortunate to be part of a campus where the arts and education so easily and beautifully intersect to create new ideas and foster different perspectives,” Wise wrote. “I don’t think we could find a better showcase of that creativity than we’ll see in these upcoming events.”
Primary sponsors of the events are the Office of the President, the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost and the Office of Public Engagement.
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