Campus Life

2017 MLK celebration to include talk by Cornel West

Cameron Spiller and Kelli Dowd displayed the theme for the 2017 MLK Celebration during the All In celebration Oct. 6 at Old Main.  Credit: Bill Zimmerman / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s celebration of the life and message of Martin Luther King Jr. will include a talk by Cornel West on Jan. 20 in Schwab Auditorium.

West, a professor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary and professor emeritus at Princeton University, will speak during the Evening Celebration, which begins at 6 p.m.

Free tickets can be reserved here. The maximum number of tickets per individual is two. 

The theme for the 2017 MLK Jr. Commemoration is “When Silence Becomes Betrayal.” Inspired by the words of King, the theme is a reminder for Penn Staters to use their voices in the face of injustice. The hashtag, #ISpokeUpWhen, will be used to allow faculty, staff and students to be recognized for times they spoke up for others.

West has also taught at Yale, Harvard and the University of Paris. A graduate of Harvard, he also earned a master’s degree and doctorate from Princeton. He has written more than 20 books, including “Race Matters,” “Democracy Matters” and his memoir, “Brother West: Living Loving Out Loud.”

Other MLK Jr. Commemoration events include the 42nd Memorial Banquet at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel and "Silence Interrupted: A Talent Showcase & Social Justice Reception" from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 17 in the HUB's Heritage Hall. 

For more information on events, go to http://mlk.psu.edu/schedule-of-events/

Cornel West will speak Jan. 20 during the MLK Evening Celebration.  Credit: www.cornelwest.comAll Rights Reserved.

Last Updated January 17, 2017