Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Penn State’s Forum on Black Affairs is sponsoring a series of events with the theme, “Change Continues With Us.”
Hundreds gathered on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center Wednesday night wearing suits and dresses, to celebrate two anniversaries: the 50th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Banquet, and his 1965 speech on campus.
60 years ago on January 21st, King spoke to a crowd of more than 8,000 people in Penn State’s Rec Hall. He spoke about the civil rights movement and America’s legacy of slavery and segregation. His message of unity and progress carried on at Wednesday’s banquet.
Tracy Langkilde is Penn State’s Interim Executive Vice President and Provost. She was one of several giving speeches to the crowd.
“Progress is not inevitable," Langkilde said. "Change only continues if we choose to make it so, and real change begins with each of us.”
Terry Watson, another attendee, said he’s been coming to these banquets since 2010.
“It's a good time to have one," Watson said. "Checking with ourselves as a community, and at the same time, it is a good time to celebrate one another.”
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, coinciding with Inauguration Day. It’s a fact Watson said he still hasn’t processed.
“One of the things I'm trying to remain is optimistic about the future," Watson said. "That's why these events are so important, because it does contribute to that optimism.”
Lydell Sargeant, another attendee, said it was a good thing to have the two events on the same day.
"I think there's an opportunity for the country to understand the true values of democracy, and I think Martin Luther King represented that," Sargeant said.
There will be more events and activities honoring the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through next week at several Penn State campuses.
