MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY TO BE OBSERVED
AT BRYN MAWR WITH TWO DAYS OF EVENTS

Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed on the Bryn Mawr campus this year with several events honoring the life and work of the slain civil-rights leader. On Sunday, Jan. 16, the College will host the Main Line Martin Luther King Society's annual ceremony; on Monday, Jan. 17, King's legacy will be honored at the College's Spring Convocation and later with a special gospel concert and candlelight vigil.

Arthur L. Stewart, former superintendent of Valley Forge National Historical Park, will be the keynote speaker at the Main Line Martin Luther King Association event, to be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, in Goodhart Auditorium. It will be followed by a reception. Highlights of the program include honoring local groups and individuals for "working to make the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. a reality on the Main Line." This year's honorees are James L. Minus III, Concerned Black Parents and African-American Parents Group of Tredyffrin-Easttown School District. Winners of the Main Line Martin Luther King Association's 2004-05 academic collegiate scholarships will also be recognized. The Main Line Revival Choir and the Metropolitan Male Ensemble will provide music. The event is free and open to the public.

Keynote speaker Stewart served as superintendent at Valley Forge from 1996 until his retirement from federal service in January 2004. His efforts for natural resource conservation and historic preservation resulted in the extension of the Schuylkill River Trail, the lessening of traffic in the park, and the development of the American Revolution Center at Valley Forge. The center will include documentation of the important role of African Americans in the War for Independence.

On Monday, Jan. 17, the College's Spring Convocation will honor King with music and reflections on the civil-rights leader's life and work, at 8:30 a.m. in Thomas Great Hall. The gathering will last until 9:30; the College asks supervisors and professors to release students and staff members from scheduled classes and work to attend the event.

A community luncheon honoring King's memory will be held in Rhoads Dining Hall at 1 p.m.

At 7:30 p.m., the President's Office will sponsor a program in Thomas Great Hall featuring students' meditations and a gospel concert by the First African Baptist Sanctuary Choir of Sharon Hill, Pa. The choir is led by the Reverend Ralph Benjamin, director, and Shirley Brockenborough, minister of music.

Immediately following the concert, a candlelight vigil will culminate in a procession to the Multicultural Center, where dessert will be served. Students are asked to bring their lanterns; candles will be provided.

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