DALLAS — Barbara Thompson, a participant in the 1965 equal voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, will conduct a discussion at Misericordia University next week.
Thompson’s first-hand account of the five-day, 54-mile March is one of many events planned to honor Martin Luther King Jr. at Misericordia University.
All events are free and open to the public, said Marianne T. Puhalla, marketing communications staff writer at Misericordia University.
“We do this (hold weeklong events to honor Dr. Martin) every year,” Puhalla said. “This will be the first time Barbara will be participating.”
Events will kick off with an open invitation to the public to sign the United Nations Personal Pledge Against Racism from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 18 in the lobby of the Banks Student Life Center at Misericordia University.
Then, at 6 p.m. that day, Thompson will provide a first-hand account of the historical March before a viewing of “Selma,” a chronicle of King’s movement to obtain equal voting rights through the March in the Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall.
The university’s Multicultural Club and the Office of Multicultural Education will promote diversity by holding a “Tastes of the World” event from 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 19 in the Harold and Sallyanne Rosenn Lobby of Insalaco Hall, near the Pauly Friedman Art Gallery.
Also, new this year is the participation of artist Tom Varano who will offer a unique program called “Emotion Into Art” where fingertips, palms and multiple brushes are used to paint on a four-by-five-foot-canvas while choreographed to music. Throughout the process, Varano incorporates the audience and drawing out their creativity, Puhalla said.
The university will host the second annual Ecumenical Prayer Service at noon Jan. 20 in the University Chapel in Mercy Hall. The service will offer blessings for world peace and understanding from a variety of religious leaders representing Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Lutheranism, and Roman Catholic, to name a few.
The Key Arts Production will present “King’s Dream,” a multimedia presentation of the American Civil Rights Movement era featuring film, commentary and songs, Jan. 20.
The Babel Poetry Collective from Temple University will end the week with a poetry slam at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Frank and Dorothea Henry Student Lounge at Misericordia University.