The Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, pastor of a Baltimore, Maryland church, will lead a silent march through campus to commemorate the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. GVSU will celebrate King's birthday with a week of activities from January 21-25.
Bryant is the founder and pastor of the Empowerment Temple, the fastest growing African Methodist Episcopal church in the nation. He is a former youth director of the NAACP and has been named one of America's Future Leaders by Ebony magazine. The silent march will begin at 12 noon on Monday, January 21, near Zumberge Library and end at the Cook Carillon with remarks from Bryant and others and student presentations on King's life.
Bryant will also speak at 6 p.m. that night during the 16th Annual Martin Luther King Community Celebration, held at the Grand Rapids Community College Fieldhouse. The event is sponsored by GVSU, GRCC, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, and Grand Rapids Public Schools.
Other campus events include:
- Gospel concerts by Voices of GVSU. January 22: 2 p.m. at the Cook-DeWitt Center and 7 p.m. at Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center.
- Dramatic play, The Meeting interprets what would happen if Malcolm X and Martin Luther King met will be presented on January 23, 7 p.m, Cook-DeWitt Center.
- Discussion for students, faculty and staff members, and community members on What would Dr. King have to say today? January 24, 8 p.m., Kleiner Commons.
- Documentary on King and the civil rights movement, January 25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Kirkhof Center.
For more information, call the Office of Minority Affairs at x2177.
