Lineup of Purdue activities honoring MLK to include Day of Service; free Dance Theatre of Harlem performance; programs focusing on diversity, inclusion and belonging

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is an enduring testament to the pursuit of justice. A prominent leader in the American Civil Rights Movement, King dedicated his life to advancing equality and dismantling racial segregation. Purdue University will celebrate that legacy on Jan. 15-20 during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week through a series of events, performances and programs that draw into focus his life’s work on civil rights, social justice and community service.

Purdue’s MLK Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 15, will mark the national holiday in King’s honor by inviting faculty, staff and students to gather for on-campus service projects that impact positive change in the community. A campus food drive also will take place from Jan. 15-19 to support ACE Campus Food Pantry. 

Purdue’s MLK commemorative event this year will feature Dance Theatre of Harlem. The free performance, presented by Purdue’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging and produced with Purdue Convocations, begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at Elliott Hall of Music. The Purdue performance will include works set to a variety of musical styles including “Higher Ground” (Stevie Wonder), “Allegro” (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) and “Blake Works” (James Blake). 

While there is no charge for the event, tickets are required and are available at Stewart Center Box Office or on the Purdue Convocations website. The performance’s start time is being moved up so the Boilermaker community can still catch the men’s basketball matchup with archrival Indiana University at Bloomington, which has a 7 p.m. TV tipoff.

“The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and strong lineup of activities this year offer our Purdue community a powerful and meaningful way to honor the legacy of Dr. King and deepen the university’s already strong connections to our Greater Lafayette community,” said John Gates, vice provost for diversity, inclusion and belonging. “As he so clearly modeled, we do our part in advancing Dr. King’s dream of a more just and equitable society by turning inspiration into action and advancing his cause for truly making this nation a more perfect union.”

The Dance Theatre of Harlem event will include recognition of the 2024 Dreamer Award recipients. Presented by the Office of the Vice President for Ethics and Compliance, this award recognizes individuals and organizations within the Purdue community whose contributions embody King’s vision of service to others and further the university’s commitment to diversity.

In addition to the Elliott Hall performance, Dance Theatre of Harlem will offer two master classes: one open to the Purdue community and one in collaboration with Lafayette Ballet Company. Space is limited; those interested in registering can contact diversity@purdue.edu.

“Dance Theatre of Harlem has been widely recognized for its legacy of access and excellence in the world of professional dance,” Gates said. “Their visit is an invitation to the entire Purdue community to contemplate the lessons that Dr. King’s life offers to us today.”

MLK Day of Service

This year’s projects will be centered on food justice and include Greater Lafayette agencies Food Finders and LTHC Homeless Services. Participants should check in at 8:30 a.m. at the Great Hall in Honors College and Residences-North, 1101 Third St.

Breakfast will be served, and a keynote speaker is planned, followed by the service activity from 10 a.m. to noon. Supplies and transportation will be provided. Participants also are encouraged to donate to the campus food pantry. Registration closes today (Monday, Jan. 8).

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week

A week of activities that are open to the general public will highlight MLK’s teachings with programming in support of issues related to diversity, inclusion and belonging. All events are in-person and open to the public, with some options for virtual participation offered. For a complete schedule with event details and locations, visit purdue.ag/mlk. 

• Tuesday, Jan. 16: “Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land,” a documentary screening and discussion from noon to 2 p.m. in Pfendler Hall’s Deans Auditorium, Room 241. The event includes a post-screening Q&A with documentary filmmaker Eternal Polk and Tharlyn Fox, manager for the Legislation, Education, Advocacy and Production Systems (LEAP) Coalition at Deere & Co. and an expert on heirs’ property issues.  
• Wednesday, Jan. 17: “Linguistic Justice,” featuring keynote speaker April Baker-Bell, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Pfendler’s Deans Auditorium, Room 241. A faculty/staff workshop titled “Linguistic Justice: From Theory to Praxis” will follow from 2-3:30 p.m. in Pfendler’s Deans Auditorium, Room 241. Baker-Bell is an award-winning transdisciplinary teacher-researcher-activist and associate professor of language, culture and justice in education at the University of Michigan.
• Thursday, Jan. 18: Faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in a service effort to make laundry soap for distribution to those shopping at Food Finders’ Mobile Pantries and for agency partners to stock on their shelves. The activity is from noon to 1 p.m. in the high bay of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building, located at the rear of the building near Harrison Street Parking Garage.
• Friday, Jan. 19: A panel discussion titled “Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in the Workplace” from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Pfendler’s Deans Auditorium, Room 241. Black, Indigenous and people of color industry leaders will discuss strategies for supporting workplace diversity, inclusion and belonging. The College of Agriculture’s Unsung Diversity Hero Awards also will be presented at the beginning of the session. 

A drive for collecting food and other items such as birthday boxes and household goods like linens and pots and pans also is planned all week in the Agricultural Administration Building, Room 106. More details about the drive and these MLK events can be found here.

These events are sponsored by Purdue University’s College of Agriculture and College of Health and Human Sciences, along with co-sponsors Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging; the College of Education; and the Purdue Black Cultural Center.

Dance Theatre of Harlem production

A leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, Dance Theatre of Harlem encompasses a professional touring company, a leading studio school, and a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance Theatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment toward enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts.

Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem is considered “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings” (The New York Times). Shortly after the assassination of Dr. King, Mitchell was inspired to start a school that would offer children — especially those in Harlem, the community in which he was born — the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts.

Dance Theatre of Harlem, led by artistic director Robert Garland, is presented by Purdue’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging and produced with Purdue Convocations. Additional supporters include Hall of Music Productions, NeoVision Optical, Union Club Hotel, 8Eleven Modern Bistro and New England Foundation for the Arts.

MLK’s eloquent speeches, most notably the iconic “I Have a Dream” address, resonate with timeless ideals of equality, justice and unity. King’s commitment to nonviolent resistance inspired a generation to challenge injustice and discrimination. His efforts played a pivotal role passage of both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, landmark legislations that sought to eliminate racial discrimination.

Beyond his immediate impact, King’s legacy extends into the broader struggle for human rights globally, influencing movements for justice and equality around the world. Today, Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered not only as a charismatic leader but also as a symbol of hope and resilience, a reminder that the fight for justice requires courage, perseverance and a commitment to the principles of equality.