A lack of Martin Luther King Day events
We note with dismay the paucity of University of Iowa commemorations of the Martin Luther King holiday this year. In past years the week of the Martin Luther King holiday was packed with public lectures and other events in various colleges and departments, and the UI maintained a website to track the many events. This year the website is non-functional, and there appear to be no university-wide events offering public discussion of King’s enormous contributions, in speech and action, to promote the use of non-violent protest to promote positive social change.
In 2024, the University’s website proudly stated that “[r]ecognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthdate has been a tradition at the University . . . since 1969, . . .” In 1995 the UI officially designated MLK Day as an “official university holiday . . . to provide the university community with an opportunity for serious thinking . . . about issues of social justice, human rights, and world peace.”
The 2024 webpage noted that the University’s MLK celebrations “have grown into a campus and community celebration that includes lectures, discussions, and cultural arts presentations.” They also regularly included opportunities to engage in service projects.
This year, we could find only two events. The College of Medicine did have an MLK lecture on January 21. The Law School’s MLK lecture will be next Tuesday, January 27, from 12:45 to 1:45 at the Law School—ironically, on threats within academe to MLK’s legacy—and it is open to the public. But these offerings are a pale shadow of what the university used to offer. The cut-back in programs constitutes a serious loss to the educational function of this university.
Charles Connerly, Professor Emeritus, UI School of Planning and Public Affairs
John C. Reitz, Professor Emeritus, UI College of Law
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: A lack of Martin Luther King Day events | Letter
Reporting by Iowa City Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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