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W&L Readies MLK Events
Harris-Perry To Give Keynote Talk This Monday
Washington and Lee University will celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a weeklong series of events featuring a keynote address by Melissa Harris-Perry, a scholar and writer known for her significant contributions to political science, African American studies and public discourse on race, gender and politics.
Harris-Perry’s moderated talk will occur at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, in the Lenfest Center’s Keller Theatre. Dayo Abah, provost faculty fellow and professor of journalism and mass communications, will serve as moderator. The talk is free but reservations are required, visit https://go.wlu.edu/mlkspeakertickets.
Harris-Perry has taught at Wake Forest University since 2014. She currently serves as the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair in the Department of Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest, where she also teaches in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and with the Environment and Sustainability Program.
An influential political commentator and media personality, Harris-Perry was the final host and managing editor of The Takeaway, a daily public radio broadcast and podcast from WNYC Studios. She is co-creator of WNYC’s special series “The Takeaway Deep Dives” podcast and The Nation’s System Check podcast. From 2012 to 2016, Harris-Perry hosted the weekend morning show “Melissa Harris-Perry” on MSNBC, where she gained national recognition for her political commentary and discussions on social justice issues.
Harris-Perry has been a regular columnist for The Nation and served as an editor-atlarge with Elle.com and ZORA. She is the author of the award-winning book, “Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought,” which looks at the complex landscape of Black political discourse through everyday spaces of conversation and community interaction, and “Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America,” which explores the complex experiences of Black women in the United States.
Harris-Perry is the founder and president of the Anna Julia Cooper Center, whose mission is to advance justice through intersectional scholarship and action. -W&L will also host various programming to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King, beginning Jan. 20. The following events are free and open to the public.
Children of the community are invited to attend a birthday celebration in honor of Dr. King on Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Evans Hall. There will be games, face painting, and arts and crafts. CARE Rockbridge will also be hosting “Reading in Color” with three reading sessions for younger children, as well as a raffle to win a copy of one of the books. Cake, snacks and punch will be provided.
Also on Jan. 20, the W&L Chanoyu Tea Society will honor the legacy of King with a Senshin’an Tearoom Open House in the Watson Galleries from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Participants will learn about basic tea utensils, how to properly whisk matcha and the different kind of matcha tea grades. Area residents can also join the Museums at W&L for a Lunch & Learn with Mohamed Kamara, professor of French at W&L, on Jan. 21 at 11:30 a.m. in the Watson Galleries. In his lecture, “Where Do We Go From Here: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Vision of the Beloved Community,” Kamara will explore the role of art in advancing King’s dream and King’s vision of the Beloved Community. Register at http://tiny.cc/kamara.
W&L’s Special Collections and Archives invites community members to an open house on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. on the lower level of Leyburn Library, featuring items related to Dr. Martin Luther King and his legacy. Visitors are asked to leave any food or drink brought with them outside the venue.
Reflections on the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be held on Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. in Evans Hall. This event allows community members to gather to reflect on the lessons of Dr. King’s life and work. Each year, a range of leaders from both the W&L campus community and the Lexington community offer a brief commentary on their views of Dr. King’s legacy, and what he has meant to that individual, to our community, to W&L students, to our country or to our world. RSVP at https://go.wlu.edu/mlkreflections.
W&L Hillel and the Class of 1994 Office of Inclusion and Engagement invite all members of the W&L and local community to a Shabbat dinner and service honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King on Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. in the Hillel House Sanctuary. Seating is limited so register in advance at https://go.wlu.edu/ mlkshabbat.
On Jan. 26, W&L’s African Society will host its annual African Society Fashion Show and Dance at 7 p.m. in Evans Hall. The Rockbridge community is invited to come see fashion from all around the continent of Africa and enjoy African-inspired dances.
Area residents are encouraged to refer to the Class of 1994 Office of Inclusion and Engagement programs and events website in the coming weeks for updated links and information related to W&L’s 2025 MLK Celebration, including registration and livestream links: https://my.wlu.edu/office-of-inclusion-andengagement/ programs-and-events/mlk-week.
The university’s MLK Commemorative Planning Committee is co-chaired by Tammy Futrell, dean for diversity, inclusion and student engagement, and Leslie Wingard Cunningham, associate provost for faculty development and professor of English and Africana Studies.
