Remembering MLK: Events marking 50 years since April 4, 1968

April 4, 2018 marks 50 years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Several University offices and departments will be holding events to honor Dr. King, a BU alumnus. This events range from discussions to concerts, panel discussions to jam sessions and more. Many of the events are free and open to the public.

If you have an event to add to this listing, please contact Kat Cornetta, Assistant to the Dean of Students, at katcorn@bu.edu.

April 2

Tell Them About the Dream: The Gotlieb Center Remembers King
6pm
Metcalf Hall, George Sherman Union, 775 Commonwealth Avenue
Khalil Muhammad interviews poet Nikki Giovanni. More speakers and performances to be announced. Sponsored by the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center. Free and open to the public.

April 3

The Boston University School of Theology Lowell Event and Reception
5:00 pm-6:30 pm
STH Community Room, 745 Commonwealth Avenue
Featuring Traci Blackmon, Executive Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for The United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor of Christ The King United Church of Christ in Florissant, MO. This event is sponsored by the Lowell Institute and is free and open to the public.

April 4

Service of Remembrance: In Memoriam, Martin Luther King, Jr.
6pm
Marsh Chapel, 735 Commonwealth Avenue
Cornell William Brooks, Preacher. Dean, Chaplains, Choirs (Chapel Choir, Thurman Choir, and Inner Strength Gospel Choir), and Associates in leadership.

April 5

The Night that James Brown Saved Boston
5:00pm lecture with brief performance
BU Central, George Sherman Union, 775 Commonwealth Avenue
Featuring Fred Wesley, trombone for the James Brown Band, with clips from the documentary of the same name. A discussion and jam session surrounding the famous James Brown concert that took place 50 years ago to the day at the Boston Garden, just a night after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Free and open to the public.

April 6

Protest Without Words: The Arts and Social Change
7:00 pm
Photonics Auditorium (206)
CFA Dean Dr. Harvey Young, composer Kirke Mechem, and BU alumnae Dr. Kerri Greenidge (co-director of African American Freedom Trail Project – Tufts University) will engage in a panel discussion moderated by Louise Kennedy, BU Development Communications editor, and former WBUR Director of Community Engagement. Exploring the role of the fine arts in American culture’s history of protest, resistance, and resilience, the evening’s conversation will serve as prelude to the April 9th Symphony Hall concert repertoire. Free and open to the public. For more information and tickets, please visit the event’s website.

April 8

‘After Fifty Years’: The King Legacy in Word and Song
11am
March Chapel, 735 Commonwealth Avenue
Special Guest Preacher Deval Patrick; Service followed by a guided walk to and through the Howard Gotlieb Archives at BU (persons representing various leaders from 1968 will guide attendees on the walk to the Gotlieb).

April 9

Protest Without Words: The Arts and Social Change
8pm
Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115
BU Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Chorus, and Wind Ensemble perform featuring compositions by William Grant Still, Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, Karl Husa, and Kirke Mechem. Free admission. For more information and tickets, please visit the event’s website.

April 29

In His Own Words: A concert of new compositions in memory of MLK
3:00 pm
Marsh Chapel Nave
Five local Boston composers, including BU faculty, Vartan Aghababian, will premiere original compositions based on Martin Luther King’s own words. As one of the greatest civil rights pioneers, preachers and orators of his time, his words remind us of our struggle together and our call for peace and love. This concert is presented to reflect an order of service, and music for soprano and string trio will be interspersed with spoken word and poetic reflections. For more information, please visit the event’s website.