In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left behind a legacy of inspired social change, unity and hope.
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the annual MLK Silent March was held by Students For the Propagation of Black Culture.
Sydney Harris, a junior and exercise science major, is the secretary and treasurer of SPBC.
“Our events are just to bring our community closer,” she said. “Somebody can touch your life today.”
The SPBC is an organization that aims to study and support the development of Black culture, develop dignity, pride and respect among all students regardless of race, and provide unity among all students.
To honor King’s message of unity and equality, UCA students and faculty members gathered beneath the Crafton Alumni Pavilion for a silent march across campus.
The quiet yet powerful demonstration embodied King’s commitment to peaceful protest.
Sophomore and accounting major Phillip Hardwrick said, “I think it’s really important that we have spaces, especially in the political and social climate we’re in right now, to still honor historical figures like MLK.”
The march ended at the Ronnie Williams Student Center amphitheater, and the ceremony continued on the second floor of the student center.
It opened with a prayer from SPBC Chaplain AJ Robinson and a recording of Dr. King’s final speech in 1968, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.”
Chief Diversity Officer Angela Webster has been a part of the UCA community for 15 years and has played many roles in student life.
Webster attended King’s final speech, “I was there as a seven-year-old with my family,” she said. “Although my parents had no idea that might become his final speech, they insisted that all of their children be there.”
Webster shared her memories of King and the courage her grandfather showed during the Civil Rights Movement.
“My grandfather was a sanitation worker, and for me, MLK Day has become personal,” she said.
The sanitation strike took place in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968, and the movement is what drove King to Memphis, where he was assassinated a day after his final speech.
Webster said, “While that garbage piled high, their faith soared even higher.”
Webster pushed students to reflect on King’s contributions to civil rights and to honor the sacrifices of hundreds of Black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement.
“We can’t be MLK, but we can be ourselves, each of us, using our own talents, gifts and abilities can do things to help our communities,” she said.
The UCA Gospel Choir performed “Hold On (Change is Comin’),” which resonated with King’s message of perseverance and hope.
The lyrics, “When the love you seek is hard to find, don’t give up, just be strong, keep the faith, and hold on,” reinforced the spirit of hope and encouraged the audience to take actionable steps toward creating positive change.
