LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) – The following is a news release from Texas Tech University:

Texas Tech University invites the campus and Lubbock community to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the MLK Celebration 2020. Events begin today (Jan. 15) and continue through Tuesday, with an additional event hosted by the School of Law on Jan. 27.

The kickoff event will be the MLK Birthday Party, beginning at 11 a.m. today (Jan. 15) in the Student Union Building (SUB) in the first floor glass tower area. The week will conclude with the second annual Legacy March at 3 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 21), which will begin in the SUB West Plaza near the Read Reader, or “Bookman,” sculpture. Carol A. Sumner, chief diversity officer and vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, will welcome participants to a ceremony at the end of the march at Memorial Circle and introduce President Lawrence Schovanec, who will deliver remarks.

“Reflecting on the King Center‘s 2020 Vision, the national theme for this year’s celebration is ‘The Beloved Community: The Fierce Urgency of Now,'” said Nefertiti Beck, director of the Texas Tech Student Intersectional Leadership Council and co-chair of the MLK 2020 University-Wide Planning Committee. “As a committee, we believe the legacy of Dr. King warrants an observance exceeding one day. It is our hope that through the activities of the celebration, individuals both at Texas Tech and the larger Lubbock community will be moved to action. We must all do our part to carry forward his vision.”

There will be an additional event on Jan. 27, when the Texas Tech School of Law hosts the second annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Event in the Lanier Atrium and Auditorium. The event will feature Lisa McNair and Kimberly McNair Brock, sisters of Denise McNair, one of four girls killed in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, and a screening of the 1997 Spike Lee documentary, “4 Little Girls” at 6 p.m. The event will conclude with a Q&A session.

MLK Celebration 2020 events also include:

  • Oral History and Spoken Word, followed by “Harriet” movie screening, 6-9 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 16), SUB Escondido Theater
  • MLK Book Discussion, “Why We Can’t Wait,” Noon to 1 p.m. Friday (Jan. 17), SUB Red Raider Lounge. RSVP for the MLK Book Discussion on Tech Connect.
  • Celebration at Track & Field Corky Classic Meet, 5 p.m. Friday (Jan. 17), TTU Sports Performance Center
  • Celebration at Men’s Basketball Game, 2 p.m. (reception) and 3 p.m. (game) Saturday (Jan. 18), United Supermarkets Arena
  • MLK Day of Service, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday (Jan. 20), The George Wood Star Institute, 517 N. Zenith Ave. RSVP for the MLK Day of Service on Tech Connect.

All events, except the track and field meet and men’s basketball game, are free and open to the public. MLK Celebration T-shirts will be given to those with a Texas Tech student ID at the track meet and the basketball game, while supplies last.

The week is presented by the MLK 2020 University-Wide Planning Committee in collaboration with several campus organizations, departments and groups. For a full schedule and list of sponsors, visit the Texas Tech’s MLK Celebration 2020 webpage.

(News release from Texas Tech University)