On October 26, 1967, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to a large gathering at Saint Joseph's College's Memorial Fieldhouse. Fifty years later, during academic year 2017-2018, the University will host a series of programs to commemorate Dr. King's historic visit and explore the present-day relevance of the words and lessons he shared.
March 26, 2018
The Attica Prison Riot of 1971 and Why It Matters Today
Dr. Heather Ann Thompson, University of Michigan
4:30 p.m., Cardinal Foley Center
Join us for the Francis X. Gerrity Lecture with Dr. Heather Ann Thompson, author of the Pulitzer Prize and Bancroft Prize winning book Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Riot of 1971 and Its Legacy.
April 16, 2018
Featured Event: A Morning with John Lewis
10:00 a.m., Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena
Doors open 8:30 a.m.
Join us for a special presentation by Representative John Lewis, whose lecture will bring to a close the University's year-long 50th anniversary commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1967 visit to campus. Rep. Lewis's presentation will be free, but advanced registration for up to 4 people is required.
PAST EVENTS
February 22, 2018
Diversity Lecture Series
Black Empowerment: Where Do We Go From Here?
Angela Rye, Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies
5:00 p.m., Banquet Hall North, Campion Student Center
Sponsored by Student Inclusion and Diversity
February 15, 2018
From Safety to Redemption: The Catholic Call to Dismantle Racism
Sr. Patricia Chappell
7:00 p.m., Cardinal Foley Center
This talk will break open the prerequisites and requirements for building and gaining entrance into the Beloved Community. It will suggest ways to unlearn the myths of oppression and privilege in order to loosen the grip that racism has had on all of us.
Sponsored by the Joseph William and Madeline Eberle Klein Fund and the Faith-Justice Institute
February 14, 2018
The Real Record on Racial Attitudes
Dr. Camille Charles, University of Pennsylvania
4:00 p.m., Campion Student Center North Lounge
The Sr. Thea Bowman Distinguished Lecture Series presents Dr. Camille Charles, Walter H. and Leonore C. Annenberg Professor in Social Sciences and a leading scholar in American race relations. Dr. Charles will map major divisions and trends in U.S. racial attitudes and discuss progress, friction and conflicts that continue to make race such fraught terrain. Sponsored by Adult Student Life, Office of Inclusion and Diversity and Office for Mission and Identity
January 22 and 23, 2018
American Stories: A Peace of My Mind Exhibit and Presentation by John Noltner
Photo Exhibit: Monday, Jan. 22, and Tuesday, Jan. 23
Campion Student Center, North Lounge
Photos & Interviews: Monday, Jan. 22, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Campion Student Center, Sunroom I
Presentation by Photographer and Curator John Noltner: Tuesday, Jan. 23, 5 p.m., The Perch
Join us for photographer John Noltner's riveting exhibit and presentation. In his travels across the country, chronicled in A Peace of My Mind, John has raised questions that challenge our beliefs, discover our commonalities and engage conversations about peace, justice and humanity. If you are interested in participating in the photo and interview project, which John will include in his Jan. 23 presentation, please complete the interest form.
Questions: Natalie Walker Brown, sid@sju.edu, p/610-660-1147
October 26, 2017
Teach-In
8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.
Campion Student Center, Presidents Lounge (2nd floor)
Three innovative teachers are opening their classes to the public, with lessons especially geared to explore themes that Dr. King raised. Visit the MLK Teach-In page for additional information.
Community Reading of Dr. King's 1967 Speech
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Campion Student Center, Doyle Banquet Hall (2nd floor)
Join SJU President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., State Rep. Morgan B. Cephas and others for a community reading of Dr. King's 1967 remarks and a celebration of the 50th anniversary commemoration.
Featured Panel: Where Do We Go From Here? Fulfilling Dr. King's Call to Action
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Campion Student Center, Doyle Banquet Hall (2nd floor)
Expert panelists address the question of “where do we go from here,” focusing on the modern-day status and relevance of the concerns Dr. King raised in 1967 regarding how to attack poverty and injustice by providing equal access to good schools, housing and jobs. Our panelists will include Encarna Rodríguez, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Educational Leadership; Brent Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing; and Corinne O'Connell '97, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia and winner of the University's 2015 Ignatius Award.
Film Screening and Discussion: Blaxploitalian
(In Italian and English with English subtitles)
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Campion Student Center, Forum Theater (2nd floor)
Blaxploitalian (2016) by acclaimed director Fred Kuwornu explores Blackness in Italian cinema. The movie spans over 100 years of Italian film history (from silent and colonial-era movies up to the present day) to recount the little-known story of how actors of African descent contributed to Italian cinema. The movie shows the struggles and achievements of Afro-Italian, African-American and Afro-descendant actors of the past and present through extensive interviews and archival footage. The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer with faculty in the Modern Languages Department.
"The Clear Voice of Justice" Exhibition
Post Learning Commons (3rd floor), Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J., Special Collections
This exhibition draws on correspondence, photographs and other items from the University Archives to encourage reflection on the meaning of Dr. King's visit to Saint Joseph's University and his principal message of continued resolve to end social injustice. The exhibition, which was made possible by the resources of the University Library, will be open for the fall semester.
Principal Curator: Christopher Dixon
Co-Curators: Dr. Emily Hage and Dr. Randall Miller