King's daughter to address community

Many races, creeds and colors will convene tonight in Eisenhower Auditorium to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Members of this diverse audience will come together as one to remember King's contributions and to honor his legacy.

On stage, King will be remembered and honored firsthand -- by his daughter.

Yolanda King, oldest child of Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, will speak as part of a free commemorative tribute that also includes dancing, drumming and singing.

The program's theme, and the theme of the entire week of commemorative events, is "Communities Embrace Diversity." A sense of community and the building of communities were crucial messages of Martin Luther King, said James Stewart, chair of the planning committee for the week's activities.

Communities that King spoke of were comprised of diverse people with differing backgrounds and interests, Stewart said.

"And for (King)," Stewart said, "the process of building communities involved learning to harmonize those differences and embrace diversity."

Chair of the program subcommittee Kenneth I. Clarke said he sees Yolanda King as a tie-in to the themes expressed by her father, because she had an intimate look into the total person he was.

"(Yolanda King) has an understanding of her father's perception of what he called the beloved community," Clarke said, "which is an inclusive, interdependent way of living grounded in the concept of love and justice."

As an actress, Yolanda King has devoted herself to effecting social and personal change throughout the arts by integrating her artistic goals with human rights causes, according to a news release.

Yolanda King portrayed Rosa Parks in the NBC movie King and Rena Evers in the film Ghosts of Mississippi. She has also formed a production company that promotes socially conscious theatrical projects, according to the release.

She also served as a visiting professor in the theater department at Fordham University and currently speaks throughout the U.S. and Europe. She spoke at the University's Altoona College's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration last year and was very well received, Stewart said.

But despite Yolanda King's numerous personal successes, her name and the legacy of her father can be overshadowing.

Michelle Colón (junior-secondary Spanish education), a member of the program's planning committee, said she has spoken to many students who are eager and excited to attend King's speech, if only for the reason that she is King's daughter.

"Martin Luther King Jr. was a distinguished, incredible human being and to have someone as close to him as his daughter come to Penn State is an honor for our student population," Colón said.

Tom Poole, assistant vice provost for educational equity, said Yolanda King's first-hand account of her father is an asset to the audience.

"I think it will be a great opportunity for folks to hear from someone who personally owns the history of a great leader," Poole said. "Even after losing her father, she still was among her father's circle of friends and colleagues who informed her throughout her adult life."

Poole teaches a cross-listed religious studies and African/African-American studies class this semester titled African & African American Studies 146 (The Life and Thought of Martin Luther King Jr).

He said he is not requiring his students to attend tonight's program, but he is making it available as an extra credit opportunity if students would like to write a review of Yolanda King's speech.

In addition to her keynote address, the Voices of Joy Choir will sing and NOMMO Performing Arts Company will perform. NOMMO emphasizes African, African-American and multicultural themes in its work and utilizes dancers and drummers, Stewart said.

Cindy del Rosario (junior-journalism), a member of the program's planning committee, said the commemorative tribute fills a void at the University.

"I think that there's a need for increased awareness of minorities on campus," del Rosario said. "It's a very diverse group who planned (tonight's tribute) and put it together, and that is representative of the program itself."

The planning committee includes members from student groups, community groups, University offices, faculty and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, Stewart said.

An additional planned event today is a commemorative bell-ringing ceremony at 11:30 p.m. in Old Main.

The Our Lady of Victory Choir will perform and local elementary students will read letters they have written to Yolanda King.

"This will be the second year that we've had the bell-ringing ceremony," Stewart said. "In King's famous 'I have a dream' speech, he talks about letting freedom ring. The bell-ringing ceremony picks up on that motif."