31st Annual
Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Convocation

Annual MLK Convocation Keynote and Annual Sutherland Lecture Series Speaker

Author Margaret Burnham will present at Saint Michael's College

Tuesday, January 31, 2023
4:30 p.m
McCarthy Recital Hall and Livestream

Margaret A. Burnham
Author of By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners

Watch the lecture here via livestream Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 4:30 p.m.

Renowned legal scholar, Civil Rights advocate, and former judge Margaret A. Burnham founded the Northeastern University School of Law’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project (CRRJ) and is the author of By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners – named one of the Best Books of 2022 and a finalist for the Kirkus Prize.

Get Tickets/Register for Livestream 

Sponsored by the Donald J. Sutherland Lecture Series, the Office of the President, and the Edmundite Center for Peace & Justice

Cover ot the book "By Hands Now Known"

For more information about Professor Margaret Burnham and her work: 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Celebration

Monday, January 16 | 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. 

Saint Michael’s will host a full day of programming to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  

Sponsored by: Office of the President, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Society, Center for Student Diversity, Empowerment, and Community (DEC), and the Diversity Coalition.  

Schedule of Events

9:00–9:45 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Presenters: Emcee Dawn Ellinwood, VP for Student Affairs, President Lorraine Sterritt, Kelechi Onuoha, SGA President, Vernita Weller, Student Success Advisor, and Abdimalik Hashi, MLK Jr. Society.

9:00–4:00 p.m.
MLK, Jr. Day Information Table hosted by MOVE students
Fireplace Room, 1st Floor, Alliot Hall 

10:00–10:50 a.m.
Honoring MLK by Exploring Children’s Literature that Celebrates Black Joy and Inspiration
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Presenters: Valerie Bang-Jensen, Professor of Education and Kristen Hindes, Library Associate Director 

11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Eyes on the Prize: Music, poetry, food and prizes
2nd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Hosted by the MLK Jr. Society, Diversity Coalition, Center for Student Diversity, Empowerment, & Community, and MOVE 

11:15 a.m.–12:05 p.m.
The Life & Philosophy of MLK: How Dr. King’s Legacy Contributes to the Creation of the Beloved Community
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Presenter: Vernita Weller, Student Success Advisor 

12:30–1:20 p.m.
Take My Hand, Precious Lord
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
A program on Dr. King and his relationship in life (and death) with the hymn, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.”  
Presenter: William Ellis, Associate Professor of Music 

12:30–1:00 p.m.
Saint Michael’s Gospel Choir
Green Mountain Dining Room, 1st Floor, Alliot Hall
Directed by Vernita Weller, Student Success Advisor 

1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
MLK Day Creative Space: button making, laser cutting for keychains, shirts, and more
Makerspace, 1st Floor, Dion Family Student Center

1:45–2:35 p.m.
Claiming the Promise: Film & Discussion
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Attendees will watch a short film and discuss Dr. King’s legacy and disability rights with Dr. Komabu-Pomeyie, an international disability rights advocate and woman of color with a physical disability who teaches Disability Justice at Saint Michael’s. 
Presenter: Sefakor Komabu-Pomeyie, Ph.D. 

2:50–3:50 p.m.
There Is a River: Vincent Harding, Bob Moses, MLK and Neurath’s Boat
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
This open class will highlight some of Dr. King’s writings that connect to the text written by his speech writer, Vincent Harding, titled ‘There Is a River’. Through Bob Moses we learn of the ‘river metaphor’ within civil rights organizing via a SNCC meeting discussing Neurath’s Boat. Class attendees will participate in a ‘thought experiment’ by boarding (via intellect and imagination) the Ship of Theseus to question individual and institutional identity and how Dr. King’s work and life connects to our present lives and the history of Saint Michael’s College. 
Presenters: Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, Edmundite Scholar in Residence and students from the Fall 2022 History class, U.S. Civil Rights. 

4:00-4:50 p.m.
Student Panel Discussion
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Moderator: Sarah M. Childs, Director of the Center for Student Diversity, Empowerment, and Community (DEC) with student leaders including Chicha Romain (Diversity Coalition), Kaltumo Ibrahim (MLK Jr. Society), Abdimalik Hashi (MLK Jr. Society). 

5:30-6:30 p.m.
MLK Social Hour with food from BIPOC-owned businesses
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center 

6:45-8:00 p.m.
The Congolese Catholic Choir
Roy Room, 3rd Floor, Dion Family Student Center
Hosted by Choeden Lama, Assistant Director of DEC, with remarks by Fr. David Theroux, SSE and Jolivette Anderson Douoning, Edmundite Scholar in Residence. Directed by Jules Wetchi, MD, MPH, the choir is a mix of new Americans from the Democratic Republic of Congo and from Congo-Brazzaville and Ivory Coast. They sing in several languages of the DR Congo: French, Swahili, Lingala, Tshiluba and Kikongo.

This program would not be possible without the support of the MLK Convocation Planning Committee:  

Mahmoud Arani, Professor of Applied Linguistics/TESOL; Laura Crain, Library Director and MLK Convocation Planning Committee Chairperson; Rev. David Cray, S.S.E.; Dawn Ellinwood, Vice President for Student Affairs; Gretchen Galbraith, Dean of the Faculty; Abdimalik Hashi, MLK Jr. Society; Kaltumo Ibrahim ‘25, MLK Jr. Society; Choeden Lama, Assistant Director for the Center for Student Diversity, Empowerment, and Community; Howie LeBlanco, Director of Human Resources – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Isabella Paredes Mendoza ‘24; Chicha Romain ‘24, Diversity Coalition; Rev. David Theroux, S.S.E.; Dakota Thomas ‘24, SGA Secretary for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Leandre Waldo, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, and Vernita Weller, Student Success Advisor.