A gospel choir concert, a one-man show and a pair of movie screenings will headline a three-day slate of events for Eastern Mennonite University’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.
The celebration will run Jan. 13-15 and is themed “Remember, Celebrate, Thrive.”
For more information about the performers and events, visit emu.edu/mlk.
Saturday, Jan. 13
- 11 a.m.-2 p.m. — Northeast Neighborhood tour: Monica Robinson, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project, will lead a tour of the Northeast Neighborhood, a historic community built by and for African-Americans in Harrisonburg following the Civil War. Stops along the tour include the Bethel AME Church, with information about the neighboring Dallard-Newman House, and the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center. Registration is required.
Sunday, Jan. 14
- 6 p.m. — Screening of Rustin: A biopic of Bayard Rustin, adviser to MLK and chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, will be shown in the MainStage Theater on Sunday evening. The film, released in November, stars actor Colman Domingo as the title character and Chris Rock as activist Roy Wilkins. Rustin faced struggles not only because of his race, but also his sexuality as an openly gay Black man. A talk-back session after the screening will discuss the film and answer questions.
Monday, Jan. 15
- 9:15 a.m. — Solidarity March: A silent march will proceed from the BLM mural outside University Commons to Lehman Auditorium to kick off Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- 9:30 a.m. — Following the march, EMU students, faculty and staff and other community members are encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings, music, poetry and anything else supporting the celebration’s theme at Lehman Auditorium.
- 10 a.m. —Playwright and actor Jeremy Gillett will perform his one- man show, Black & 25 in America, at Lehman Auditorium. The Kentucky native portrays five different characters in a series of vignettes about the lives of young Black people in America that explores the issues of race, class, gender and identity. A talk-back session will offer audience members a chance to engage with him after the performance.
- 2 p.m. — Hailing from Richmond, the Virginia Union University Gospel Choir will perform at Lehman Auditorium. In October, the historically Black university invited the EMU Chamber Singers to perform on its stage with them and Grammy Award-winning artist Hezekiah Walker during a live recording. EMU Music Program Director David Berry will open convocation with a medley, followed by remarks from EMU President Susan Schultz Huxman and Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed. After a series of songs from the VUU Gospel Choir, the EMU Chamber Singers will join them for a performance of I Need You to Survive.
- 7 p.m. —A showing of the movie There is a Field inside the old Common Grounds space will round off the MLK Jr. celebration on Monday evening. The movie mirrors the struggles of Palestinian activists in Israel with members of Black communities in the U.S.
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Crystal Graham
