Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. With Us
Join us for a weeklong series of events from Monday, Jan. 22 through Friday, Jan.
26
Please mark your calendar for Columbus State’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. As Columbus State continues the work of Dr. King to build a better, more inclusive, community, we are proud to champion his powerful messages and invited you to join us with a weeklong series of readings, volunteer opportunities, discussions, and more.
MLK Week Planned Events
The three Evils Filter: Examining the ethical landscape of 2024 through the lens of
Dr. King’s “Three Evils”
Monday, Jan. 22 | noon to 1:30 p.m. | WD 412
Delaware Campus: Moeller Hall, 202
Dublin RLC: Room 331
Remote: Zoom
In Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1967 speech, "The Three Evils", he diagnosed the
nation with a “triple pronged sickness” of racism, materialism, and militarism. Only
a “radical revolution” that uproots these values, Dr. King argued, will save our moral
conscience and ensure the survival of our civilization. From artificial intelligence
to political polarization, catphishing to race bating, military intervention to economic
stratification, this guided discussion will use Dr. King’s explanation of “the three
evils” as a lens through which to unpack the realities of life in 2024.
Navigating Higher Education: A Student Panel
Tuesday, Jan. 23 | noon to 3:00 p.m. | WD Ballroom
Dublin RLC: Dublin 331
Delaware campus: Moeller Hall 202
Join us for an interactive student panel tied to Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
During this discussion, we will explore the historic and present challenges our students
face as they navigate the higher education system. Afterwards, participate in the
vision board activity, celebrating the journey of higher education. Connect, learn,
and contribute to a brighter educational future. Don't miss this unique opportunity!
KEYNOTE EVENT
Wednesday, Jan. 24 | 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | WD414
Hasan Kwame Jeffries
Join us for a keynote address by Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Alumni Associate Professor
at The Ohio State University.
Hasan Kwame Jeffries is a noted writer, speaker, historian, and educator on the historical
African American experience as well as contempory Black politics who has collaborated
on several public history projects, including renovation of the National Civil Rights
Museum at the Lorraine Hotel, the site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.
Jeffries is committed to opening people’s minds to new ways of understanding the past
and the present so we can work together to a better shared future. His powerful message
and historical expertise has been featured across media channels including podcasts,
books, television, and films.
George Floyd Memorial Scholarship
As part of the keynote event, the 2023 winner of the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship
will be announced. This scholarship, created in memory of George Floyd, is a merit-based
award given to students who demonstrate leadership, social justice work, and activism
that furthers progress in their community.
Interested in supporting Columbus State’s George Floyd Memorial Scholarship? Any contribution
is welcome to help extend scholarship awards to deserving students. Just designate
your gift to the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship fund. Thanks for your consideration.
Give Now
Student and Employee Visionary Dreamer Awards
As part of the keynote event, the 2023 winners of the Visionary Dreamers Award will
be announced. Winners make a significant and lasting contribution to continue creating an
environment where diversity is honored and respected on our campuses and within the
broader community. Read more here on nomination guidelines and the history of the two awards.
A conversation with Dr. Jeffries
Wednesday, Jan. 24 | 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. | WD Ballroom
Dublin RLC: Dublin 331
Delaware campus: Moeller Hall 202
Students are invited to join us to connect and engage in dialogue with keynote speaker
Dr. Hasan Jeffries, author of Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s
Black Belt and recipient of the 2023 Legacy and Legends Award by the King Arts Center
in Columbus, OH. Signed copies of Dr. Jeffries book will be available.
diggin' in the crates
Thursday, Jan. 25 | 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. | WD 412
We’re honoring 60 years of Columbus State and 50 years of hip hop with this interactive
gathering of history enthusiasts, storytellers, music lovers, and everyone else who
wants to celebrate and help us reconstruct the Black history of Columbus State!
Roll up your sleeves! Help identify the who, what, when in a collection of unlabeled
archival photographs.
Give voice! Visit the Story Booth to record your story as part of a growing collection
of Black experiences at Columbus State.
Represent! Bring photos, event programs, documents, degrees, t-shirts, and other artifacts
relevant to the Black history of Columbus State from your time as a student or employee.
(You may choose to donate items or have them photographed.)
Put your hands in the air! Listen to the beats that shaped a culture through the years.
The history we dig up at Diggin’ in the Crates will become part of an immersive Black
History of Columbus State exhibit and reception on February 28.
A special thank you to the Columbus State Library team for their leadership of this
event.
MLK DAY OF SERVICE
Friday, Jan. 26
To honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of the beloved community,
Columbus State Community College will offer the MLK Day of Service on Friday, January
26th, 2024. Volunteer opportunities will be available throughout the day at 20 different
sites in Central Ohio including Columbus, Delaware County, and the surrounding area,
see the map of sites here. Site leaders and volunteers will engage in reflection and
conversation about King's legacy of service and action. Register for MLK Day of Service
opportunities on Cougar Connect beginning on January 8th, 2024.
MLK Day of Service Frequently Asked Questions
Coretta Scott King said, “the greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if
people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual
acts of kindness through service to others.”
If you have any additional questions do not hesitate to reach out to Sophia Lombardo
at slombardo3@cscc.edu and check out the page Serve Our Community on Cougar Connect to
get any additional updates!
“We must all learn to live together as brothers, or we will all perish together as
fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny…whatever affects one
directly, affects all indirectly.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
