Arts and Entertainment

University Libraries to host MLK Week commemorative events

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries and the Libraries’ Diversity Committee will host events to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. during the University’s 35th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative celebration at the University Park campus.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 20, two events will mark the libraries’ celebration of King’s life and work, including film screenings and a choral concert.

'Freedom Summer' screenings

At 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., screenings of the documentary film “Freedom Summer” (2009) will be shown in Foster auditorium, 102 Paterno Library. The film, directed by Marco Williams, narrates the events of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer, when more than 700 student activists took segregated Mississippi by storm to protest the systematic exclusion of African Americans from the political process.

Essence of Joy performance

Beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Pattee Library’s Franklin Atrium, visitors can enjoy the sounds of Essence of Joy, the renowned student choral ensemble. The group will perform sacred and secular music that is rooted in African and African American traditions.

For more information on events being held in the Libraries, or for questions about accommodations, contact Racine Amos, Engagement and equity librarian, at 814-863-7455 or rla5306@psu.edu in advance of your visit.

For a complete list of events held on the University Park campus to celebrate Penn State’s Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration, visit mlk.psu.edu.

Last Updated April 15, 2021