SUNY Adirondack to host MLK symposium
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Later this month, SUNY Adirondack is hosting a new symposium on the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Queensbury campus welcomes attendees to "An Evening with Ancestors & Descendants" on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
The event honors Dr. King's work in civil justice, following Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which was celebrated last week in Glens Falls. The 5 p.m. symposium is intended to bridge the gap between the generations, from those who lived during King's work fighting for African American rights and justice to those who would come after.
“Martin Luther King is an integral part of our history, culture, and identity. His relevancy remains - not only amongst black people, but America at-large,” said SUNY Adirondack Chief Diversity Officer Cornelius Gilbert, Ph.D. “Despite only being here for a couple of months, I felt it necessary for SUNY Adirondack to have a strong MLK program in 2023.”
The event consists of a keynote memorial lecture, to be led by Dr. Alice Green. Green is the founder of the Center for Law and Justice in Albany. She will be part of a panel discussion that will also include Deacon Lee Braggs of the Glens Falls N.A.A.C.P. and Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church, as well as members of the SUNY Adirondack community, including Associate English Professor Donna Hayles, Student Body President Jacob Carpenter, and Student Trustee Elijah Cullum.
“I wanted the event to honor Dr. King but also bring his meaning home,” Gilbert said. “By having someone with two distinct elements, a native from the Adirondacks, but also someone who lived through the times when MLK did his work.”
The symposium is set for 5 p.m. at Adirondack Hall.