ETSU faculty, staff and students came together on Jan. 15 to celebrate the life and birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. before the national holiday on Jan. 20.

  • ETSU’s Gospel Ensemble (Photograph by Madison Taylor / East Tennessean)
  • Dr. Brian Noland (Photograph by Madison Taylor / East Tennessean)
  • (Photograph by Madison Taylor / East Tennessean)

The celebration of King’s birthday began last year as an addition to the campus’ regular programs regarding the holiday. According to Carshonda Martin, director of the Multicultural Center, the celebration is intended to remind the community of King’s legacy and how individuals can work to maintain it. 

“We’re hoping we can come together as a community and as a campus to really shed light on a lot of great things that Dr. King has done, not only for our country but for us as a people and as a campus,” Martin said.

The celebration opened with welcoming remarks from ETSU President Brian Noland urging the campus and community to remember and hold true to King’s mission in the future and was punctuated with selections from ETSU’s gospel ensemble. Alpha Phi Alpha Inc., a fraternity in which King was a member, presented spoken words and candle lighting in King’s memory and was followed by a moment of silence for reflection and remembrance.

Keith Johnson, vice president of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, gave a closing statement about what this day meant from his perspective. The service then opened up to socialization and refreshments with the ETSU Carillon tolling 10 strokes in remembrance at noon.

The event was a multilateral effort across campus spearheaded by the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Multicultural Center, the Black Affairs Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., University Relations and the President’s Office. 

The event was originally planned to be outdoors at the Alumni Plaza but was moved to the second floor lobby of Burgin-Dossett hall due to weather concerns.