MLK celebration Jan. 16-20 at College of Wooster

Matt Dilyard, The College of Wooster

As part of the week-long celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. at The College of Wooster, an art wall displayed in Lowry Center will feature art from Wooster City Schools students.

The College of Wooster will celebrate civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. and the impact he and other civil rights activists had on the United States during its annual celebration Jan. 16-20.

Expanding the college’s past event to a five-day commemorative celebration, this year’s event invites students, faculty, staff and community members to join together and reflect on the theme of “The Fierce Urgency of Now.” The expanded celebration throughout the week includes two keynote presentations and three justice dialogues, one featuring Wooster alumnus and National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell, a 1994 COW graduate.

The celebration will commence with a virtual video kick-off on Monday, Jan. 16 at noon. Later, the NAACP MLK Day Celebration Dinner will be at First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., at 5 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by a service led by one of the celebration’s two keynote speakers, Rev. Gwendolyn Webb.

Webb is pastor at God’s People United for a Better World Church and a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated from the Birmingham Police Academy as the second black female officer and served many years obtaining the rank of detective.

Her civic affiliations include being an original Foot Soldier for Civil Rights, which earned her the “I Have a Dream” Award, The Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award, Civil Rights Legends 2011 Black Achievers Regions Financial Corporation, and other awards and positions. She is the founder and CEO of Foot Soldiers International and Sisters Informing Sisters.

Wooster’s MLK celebration also will include three justice dialogues in the Gault Recital Hall of Scheide Music Center, 525 E. University St., on Jan. 17, 18 and 19 from 11 a.m. to noon.

On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Beyond the Chaos will be hosted by Webb.

On Wednesday, Jan. 18, Michael Miyawaki, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, will discuss the topic, Anger into Action. Miyawaki’s research focuses on race and ethnicity, particularly in the areas of identity formation, classification systems and inequality and as they pertain to Latinos and the multi-racial population.

The final of the three dialogues, Sustaining a Commitment to Justice — A Conversation with Russell, will be moderated by Ryan Ozar, visiting assistant professor of education, on Thursday, Jan. 19.

After being named the National Teacher of the Year in April 2022, Russell traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive the award at the White House and meet President Biden and Dr. Biden. He returned to Washington to speak to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in June and for the State Dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron in December.

The 2022 commemorative celebration in honor of MLK Day at Wooster will conclude Friday, Jan. 20 with a final keynote address from educator and executive coach Patrice Buckner Jackson at McGaw Chapel, 340 E. University St., from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Jackson — known to her followers as “Dr. PBJ” — holds a doctoral degree in education administration and facilitates leadership training as a faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership, a nonprofit provider of leadership development. Jackson founded EduCare Training and Consulting LLC. Much of her work is specifically focused on equipping and refreshing educators.

All events throughout the week are open to the greater Wooster community. A prayer breakfast will be held at Westminster Church House, 353 E. Pine St., on Friday, Jan. 20 from 8-9:30 a.m., and a Community Engagement Fair encouraging students to engage with local and student organizations that serve the community will be open from 3-5 p.m. in The Alley on the lower level of Lowry Center, 1189 Beall Ave.

An art wall displayed in Lowry Center will feature art from Wooster City Schools students. This year’s service project also includes writing to local and state government leaders. Custom postcards are available at any of the justice dialogues or the information desk in Lowry Center.