2002 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Banquet Slated For Jan. 15

December 13, 2001
University Park, Pa.--Penn State’s Forum on Black Affairs will sponsor the 27th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Banquet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the President’s Hall of the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel on the University Park campus. The event will focus on the theme, “The Shoulders we Stand On,” a phrase from King’s letter from Birmingham City Jail and other speeches in which he emphasized that his life’s work was based on the heroic efforts of many predecessors who had fought for civil rights.

The banquet will feature the presentation of the 2002 Humanitarian Service Award, established in 1985 to honor a person who has provided outstanding service to African-American citizens of Pennsylvania, especially to those in the University and Centre County communities. To nominate a candidate, submit a brief letter describing the candidate’s credentials. Supporting materials, such as newspaper or magazine articles, may be included. Nominations must be sent no later than Dec. 14 to W. Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity, 314 Old Main, University Park, PA 16802.

Tickets for the banquet are $25 for adults, $12 for children age 12 and under, and $275 for a reserved table of 10. All tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. A portion of the cost for each table will go toward the Forum on Black Affairs Scholarship Fund. Tickets may be obtained by contacting Michael Phillips at map5@psu.edu or 814-863-1411 for ticket request forms. Banquet committee co-chairs are Charles Dumas, associate professor of theatre and African American studies, and Grace Hampton, professor of art, art education and integrative arts. For more information, contact Beverly Wilson at bgw4@psu.edu.

For a schedule of other Penn State events related to the 2002 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration, visit http://www.equity.psu.edu/mlk/. For information on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (Jan. 21) events at University Park, visit http://www.clubs.psu.edu/usg/mlk/.

**gwc**

Contact: Gary W. Cramer, Penn State Department of Public Information, at 814-865-7517 or gwc104@psu.edu