A young girl adorned in a "United Against Racism" button was one of 450 honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at the 12th Annual Memorial Banquet, held last night in the Hub Ballroom.

Sponsored by the Forum on Black Affairs, the banquet was one of many events in this week's celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and the 25th anniversary of his speech at the University.

Through music, dinner, speeches, and awards, the evening was planned to "keep the dream alive," said Christine Patterson, chairwoman of this year's banquet.

"(Martin Luther King Jr.) had a dream that all men, women and children would be free. . . He made our nation better because he made it stronger . . . Let us not only remember the dream, but let us re-commit ourselves in re-living the dream for achieving equality," Patterson said in her introductory speech.

A series of speeches, given by students, entitled "What the Dream Means to Me" followed the dinner.

Norman Eric Bigelow (junior-history) attributed his success as a student to King and the many others who have dreamed and fought for equality.

"When I think of Martin Luther King I do not see the achievements of one man, but of an entire race. . . It is after them (civil rights leaders) that I want to live my life."

Another student, Subha Maruvada (senior-history), called King "a great man of commitment, faith, and dedication,"comparing him to pacifist Mahatma Ghandi.

"Nothing gives as much peace of heart as committing oneself to a worthy cause. Commitment gives you the courage to face opposition," said Maruvada.

She said that people like Ghandi and King should not be considered demi-gods, but instead considered like "you and me," determined to make a change.

Maruvada added that setting aside the day was a good way to remember King, but she said that the best way to honor him is to keep the dream alive and continue to believe in what he did.

Brian Winston, dean of the School of Communications, agreed. "I think we have a long way to go in terms of raising people's understanding. . . It's not enough to have one Black Awareness month and a Martin Luther King celebration week."

Winston added that he hopes the spirit felt last night at the banquet will continue throughout the future.

"(The banquet) was well represented, not just by the University, but by the community, and I think that's what Martin Luther King was about," Patterson said.