Civil Rights Commemorative March, Thursday Jan 20

University Park, PA -- A march celebrating the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the civil rights movement is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20^,, on Penn State’s University Park campus. The event will begin with a brief program at 11:00 a.m. on the steps of Old Main. The public is invited to participate.

Presentations will be made by children and youth from State College’s middle school and high school along with an overview of the purpose of the civil rights marches by Reverend Kenneth Clarke of Penn State’s Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs.

March organizers anticipate 400 students from the State College Area School District, in addition to Penn State undergraduates and university employees, to take part in the march.

According to Dr. Audrey Kharem, Director of Student Support Services, having individuals experience an actual march is critical to understanding the impact of Dr. King’s legacy.

"It’s crucial for young people to understand the price that was paid for the opportunities that many now take for granted. By participating in the march, people can pay homage to our forefathers and foremothers who literally sacrificed their lives for justice and equality." Members of the local community are also invited to participate in the march, which is coordinated by the Office of Undergraduate Education’s Diversity Team.

The march is scheduled to begin at 12 noon. Marchers will receive information similar to those given to the civil rights protesters in the 1960s to prepare them for what lay ahead. Marchers will begin on Pollock Road and proceed to Shortlidge Road up to Curtain Road and end at the Nittany Lion Shrine.

For more information contact: Dr. Audrey Kharem at (814)863-9442 or Melisande McCrae at (814)865-7517.