Welcome to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration 2008!
This 2008 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration marks the 14th Anniversary of this observance on Indiana University’s Bloomington (IUB) campus. Now, as then, the infectious positive spirit of countless individual acts of community service is apparent in the themes of these two celebration: "Building the Community: Making the Dream a Reality."
On December 10, 1996, Ryan Vertner, an African American Wells Scholar and member of the “Student Coalition”, led a non-violent campus protest of 500 students. These students belonged to various student organizations, such as, Black Student Union, IU Student Association, American Indian Association, Latinos Unidos, Asian American Association and the Indian Student Association – less than 1 percent of the student population – that culminated with him presenting a list of six demands to the former IU Vice President and Bloomington Chancellor Kenneth R.R. Gros Louis.
The next day, the Bloomington Herald-Times published an article, “IU groups want King Day classes cancelled,” which listed their six “original demands:” “1. Approval and implementation of a Latino Studies department; 2. Appointment of an Asian-American advocacy dean; 3. Creation of an Asian culture center; 4. Expansion of diversity programs; 5. University funding for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Student Support Services office; [and] 6. Immediate arrangement for an increase in both non-white and women faculty.”
On January 24, 1997, the Indiana University Board of Trustees declared that, henceforth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed on the third Monday of January on the IUB campus. And, all classes will be cancelled on this day. Vertner, who would later that year be named a Truman Scholar, replied when he heard the news: “I am really happy to see they [Indiana University Board of Trustees] got on board and I think they will be surprised to see the extent to which students will be willing to engage in meaningful educational activities with the day.” The myriad individual acts of community service conceived and implemented by IUB students who observe this 14th Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration prove just how right Vertner was.
On behalf of the 2008 IUB Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Committee we would like to extend you the invitation to be a part of this commemoration. You will find a full schedule of events and contact information on our calendar icon. Help make this Dr. King Day 2008 a celebration to remember!
Sincerely,
Kathy Smith and Bill Wiggins
Indiana University Bloomington Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration
Co-chairs
