Annual Martin Luther King Jr. banquet set for Jan. 15

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State’s Forum on Black Affairs (FOBA) will host the 39th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Banquet on King’s birthday, Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the President’s Hall at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and the banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. The theme this year is “Reflect on Yesterday. Experience Today. Transform Tomorrow."Reflecting on this year’s banquet theme, Leslie Laing, chair of the MLK Banquet Committee noted, “Dr. King’s dream begat a legacy that continues to inspire our nation to change — one person, one choice — one day at a time. His extraordinary and transformative philosophy of service and nonviolence are still relevant today. The Forum on Black Affairs is indeed honored to be able to provide this annual event for the Penn State community."This year’s banquet features an artistic performance by Penn State graduate and undergraduate students in addition to State College Area School District students, produced and choreographed by Kikora Franklin, Penn State assistant professor of dance. Other highlights include the annual presentation of the Forum on Black Affairs Fannie Lou Hamer and W.E.B. DuBois Scholarships, the State College Area School District Awards as well as the presentation of the 2014 Humanitarian Service Award that was established in 1985 to honor a person who has provided outstanding service to African-American citizens of Pennsylvania, especially at Penn State and in the Centre County region.For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Leslie Laing at lal24@psu.edu or 814-863-7378.