WSU to host 25th annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.

Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III (r) will give the keynote at Wayne State University's 25th annual tribute to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 17

Wayne State University will host its annual tribute to civil rights icon the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Thursday, Jan. 17, at the Hilberry Gateway. The celebration will culminate with a keynote speech from the Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas.

The event will mark the 25th anniversary of the university's MLK tribute and the 60th anniversary of the historic voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery that King led in 1965.

Limited seating remains available. Community members interested in attending should RSVP in advance. The recorded event will also be played on wayne.edu/live Monday, Jan. 20, to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

"Wayne State University is humbled and honored to have the opportunity to pay tribute to the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, president of Wayne State University. "Dr. King worked tirelessly to advance the ideals of freedom, fairness and justice that underpin our democracy. His achievements and sacrifices continue to embolden us in carrying on his mission.

"For this important event, Wayne State convenes our community together to highlight his work and achievements, recognize his impacts locally, and underscore our unique responsibilities in the civil rights movement for our future."

The program will feature the annual presentation of the Dr. Arthur L. Johnson Community Leadership Awards and the Warrior Strong Distinguished Service Award, which recognize local leaders whose work has positively impacted metro Detroit communities. The Arthur L. Johnson award will be presented posthumously to late WSU faculty member and philanthropic business leader Dr. William F. Pickard. Retired U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow will receive the Warrior Strong Distinguished Service Award.

"The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life of service and his unending fight for equality and justice serve as both a guide and a standard for our continued efforts," said Patrick O. Lindsey, Wayne State University community affairs vice president. "We are proud to recognize Dr. King's tremendous contributions to this nation, and we are equally as excited to honor those in our communities who work every day to promote the values and causes that Dr. King spent a lifetime championing."

Rev. Haynes, the keynote speaker, is a nationally recognized social activist and leader. He received the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Leadership Award in Community Service and was named by Ebony magazine to its "Power 100" list of most influential African Americans.

Themed "Sixty Years After Selma and We're Still Marching," the event will feature music and dance performances by students from Wayne State University Freedom Players Social Justice Theatre Ensembleand the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences Show Choir.

The Hilberry Gateway is located on the Wayne State University campus at 4715 Cass Ave.

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