38th MLK celebration held in person after three years of virtual events
38th MLK celebration held in person after three years of virtual events
About 2,000 people attended Syracuse University’s 38th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, held in person for the first time in three years.
The event hosted in the JMA Wireless Dome acknowledged civil rights and the city of Syracuse. Guests enjoyed dinner, drinks and dessert as well as performances by the Community Choir, presentations of the Unsung Hero awards and remarks from keynote speaker the Rev. Phil Turner.
Turner, who is a pastor for Bethany Baptist Church in Syracuse, discussed in his speech the importance of recognizing the foundation that the United States was built on in order to create a more equitable and just society.
“We’ve been trying to fix a racial divide that was designed to never be fixed,” Turner said. “Therefore we must abandon what has grown from the seeds of untruth. Untruth dies the moment that the truth is exposed. Anything that is built on untruth will also die. If we want to establish something that will last, we must build it on the truth.”
This year’s celebration included an art gallery showcasing works from local Black artists. The Southside Academy Royalty Step Team, SU’s Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and other groups also performed.
Malique Lewis, student co-chair of the SU Martin Luther King Jr. Committee and co-founder of the Black Student Union on campus, spoke to the crowd about the importance of love, service and working together.
“Dr. King’s dream was for us to be a beloved community,” Lewis said. “A community that stands together. A community that chooses love over hate. A community that chooses to shine its light to defeat darkness. A community that continues the legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King. I want you to look around because tonight, we are that beloved community.”
is a photographer for The NewsHouse.
