SLU Remembers Dr. King at Annual MLK Memorial Tribute

SLU Remembers Dr. King at Annual MLK Memorial Tribute

Saint Louis University and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis once again teamed up to honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The annual memorial tribute took place Thursday, Jan. 22, in the St. Louis Room at Saint Louis University and featured remarks about King's legacy, awards, songs and a panel discussion.

Edward Feser, Ph.D., said it was a pleasure to attend his first tribute as SLU's president. He said we all should continue to draw from Dr. King's legacy.

"His principles, his words and his leadership speak to us just as powerfully today," he said.

Feser said with his background in city planning, he's often thought of King. He often thought about how to reflect real change and provide opportunities for all people. He said King's work was a "masterclass in organizing people to build community."

Feser said the best way to honor King was to follow up on ideas on how to improve with concrete actions.

The ceremony featured music from The Coleman Hughes Project. Vanessa Bell Armstrong, a seven-time Grammy-nominated Gospel artist, also performed three songs as the featured guest.

The ceremony closed with a panel discussion featuring Katrina Moore, Ph.D., professor of history, and Rev. Anthony L. Riley, DMin, pastor at Central Baptist Church of St. Louis. The two discussed "The Black Church and the Urgency of Now."

Both Riley and Moore discussed the importance of history in addressing today's challenges. Riley said the young people of today are often too far removed from the struggles of the past. Moore, as a history professor, encouraged people to read and learn about the past and challenge any preconceived notions.

Honorees

Every year at the ceremony, members of the community are recognized with awards. Saint Louis University hands out four awards - the Dr. Donald Brennan Humanitarian Award, Dr. Fran Pestello Belonging Award, the Dr. Fred Pestello Leadership for Justice and Service Award and the Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Emergent Student Leader Award. The Urban League hands out Lifetime Achievement and Civic Leadership awards.

The honorees were:

Dr. Donald Brennan Humanitarian Award

The Dr. Donald Brennan Humanitarian Award recognizes an outstanding member of the SLU community who dedicates their time to advocating for equality, inclusivity and access to resources. The award is named after Brennan, a former dean at SLU who championed diversity and social justice.

• Knieba Jones-Johnson (Director of the University Counseling Center)

Dr. Fran Pestello Belonging Award

The Dr. Fran Pestello Belonging Award honors those, like SLU's first First Lady, who uplift, engage and unite individuals from different experiences while inspiring them to build belonging, resilience and a sense of inclusion in themselves and others.

• Donna Bess Myers (former SLU Dean of Students)

Dr. Fred Pestello Leadership for Justice and Service Award

The Dr. Fred Pestello Leadership for Justice and Service Award honors SLU's 33rd president's dedication to justice and community engagement while aligning with the principles of equality, nonviolence and service that Dr. King championed.

• For the Culture STL
• Action St. Louis

Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Emergent Student Leader Award

The Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Emergent Student Leader Award celebrates a student at SLU who possesses an unwavering commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion. The honor is named after SLU's inaugural vice president for diversity and inclusion.

• Areeb Hasan (Public Health and Social Justice student)

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Urban League's Lifetime Achievement Award honors those who have demonstrated a lifetime of leadership, service and dedication that has made a profound and lasting impact on the community.

• Marian "Bo" Mehan ('74,'82)
• Herman Lessard
• William Siedhoff
• Ron Himes

Civic Leadership Award

The Urban League's Civic Leadership Award honors those who have made a meaningful and lasting impact on the civic life of the St. Louis region.

• Regional Business Council
• Terrence Rodgers