MLK keynote with activist Mary Frances Berry and student performances

In celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Mary Frances Berry, author, activist, educator and historian, delivers a keynote address, free and open to the public, titled, “Race, Protest, and Politics: Where Do We Go From Here?”

Berry is the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches the history of American law and the history of law and social policy. For more than four decades, Berry has been one of the most visible and respected activists in the cause of civil rights, gender equality and social justice. Serving as Chairperson of the US Civil Rights Commission, Berry led the charge for equal rights and liberties for all Americans over the course of four Presidential administrations. A trailblazer for women and African-Americans alike, she also became the first woman of any race to head a major research university as Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Berry made history as one of the founders of the monumental Free South Africa Movement (FSAM). She received the Nelson Mandela award from the South African Government for her role in organizing the FSAM, raising global awareness of South African injustice that helped to end over 40 years of apartheid. She also served as Assistant Secretary for Education in the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, working to make these historically inequitable systems achieve a new level of fairness.

A prolific author, Berry’s books cover a wide range of subjects, from the history of constitutional racism in America to the history of progressive activism. Her latest book, “History Teaches Us to Resist: How Progressive Movements Have Succeeded in Challenging Times,” examines the successful tactics of movements that ended the Vietnam War, jumpstarted government response to the AIDS epidemic, championed the Americans with Disabilities Act and advanced civil, women’s and LGBTQ rights—all of which she was a part of.

Student performances:
IDM the HIP-HOP Dance Crew:

Denison Wind Ensemble:
“Of Our New Day Begun,” written by composer Omar Thomas is based on the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson.” It was written “To honor the nine victims and families of the June 17, 2015 terrorist attack on Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC.”

In addition, Denison is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Black Studies Major.

For the full schedule of events of to 2019 MLK Schedule of Events