Roland Martin to MLK audience - What are you prepared to do
January 17, 2017
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (January 17, 2017) 鈥� 精东AV held its Martin Luther King Day Observance on Monday. The event was the first Lyceum Series event of the new year and featured television host, Roland Martin. Martin addressed an audience of students, faculty, staff and members of the community in a packed arena. This event is the beginning of the University鈥檚 annual observance of Faith Week.
Roland Martin is an American journalist, syndicated columnist, and author. He is host of NewsOne Now, a one-hour weekday morning news show, and he serves as commentator of TV One. He was also a CNN contributor, appearing on a variety of shows, including the Situation Room, Anderson Cooper's AC360, and many others. In October 2008, he joined the Tom Joyner Morning Show as senior analyst. He has authored several books including: Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America, Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith and The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House as originally reported by Roland S. Martin.
Streaming the event Live on his Facebook page, Martin told the audience, 鈥淥n days like this we only focus on one person, not realizing that were it not for a multitude of people, we would not be where we are today, so let鈥檚 give them a round of applause. This is a day that we honor all Civil Rights veterans.鈥�
Addressing the captivated audience, Martin asked to see the hands of those who were eighteen years old. He told them that all they have known from ten until now is a Black President in America. He said those eighteen to twenty two year olds are 鈥減ost-Civil Rights Movement babies鈥� and have not had to put a lot on the line. He said that they haven鈥檛 thought about what they will have to fight for and for how long. He gave reference to a sustained battle such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was only supposed to last one day.
鈥淲e need to be willing to fight for what is right,鈥� Martin said. He went on the say that this generation should not just celebrate the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Andrew Young, Fred Gray or any of our leaders, but they should be ready to take up the fight.
More Faith Week events
A full week of events are scheduled for Faith Week including the Gospel Music Concert on Friday, January 20, 2017.
A special feature this year will be the Chapel Legacy Banquet, featuring Bishop Vashti McKenzie, the first female bishop of the A.M.E. Church. Bishop McKenzie is a powerful speaker and one of the most sought-after speakers in the Region. Tickets for the banquet are $50. Money raised from the banquet will be used to help refurbish and purchase a new piano for the M.L.K. Room and hymnals for the historic 精东AV Chapel. Please click here to purchase your tickets online or dial 334-727-8322.
The Faith Week events will wrap-up with Dr. Eddie Glaude as the George Washington Carver Convocation speaker on Sunday, January 22, 2017. Glaude is chair of the Department of African American Studies and the William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University. He is regarded as one of the nation鈥檚 leading African American intellectuals. He is an author and has written op-ed columns for the New York Times and has provided commentary on PBS News Hour, The Majority Report, CNN, C-Span, and MSNBC.
The 2016-17 Lyceum Series brings notable speakers, along with cultural and entertainment activities, to enrich both the University and surrounding community. This year鈥檚 series lineup will also include Bryan Stevenson, Kevin Powell, Synthia Saint James and the popular modern dance company Alvin Ailey II.
For more information about the series go to: www.tuskegee.edu/lyceum .
Follow updates on social media by using #CultureLivesHere