The University of Richmond will host a weeklong MLK 2024 Celebration beginning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Members of the campus community will join for conversation, service projects, a panel discussion, and a candlelight chapel service.

The campus events are hosted by the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement and the MLK Celebration Committee. Kicking things off on Jan. 15 are community conversations facilitated by local leaders, UR faculty, and students.

“Community Conversations provide a platform where all members of the University and the broader Richmond community can come together to discuss social issues that they care about and think collectively about their role in contributing toward solutions for complex social issues,” said Anthony Crenshaw, chair of the MLK Celebration Committee and director of operations and strategic initiatives at Bonner. "I hope that people will walk away with a better understanding of an issue that they care about, see that there are others in the community who also care, and are inspired to take action.”

The talks will continue Jan. 18, with a panel discussion, “Commitment to Humanity: The Church as a Movement for Inclusive Action.”

MLK Day is designated as a National Day of Service, with all Americans encouraged to volunteer in some way. On campus, volunteers will create blankets for the Elk Hill Group Home and community support bags for Peter Paul RVA, which offers afterschool and other programs in Richmond’s East End.

This year will also mark the second annual Beloved Community Gathering in Cannon Memorial Chapel, which will feature a keynote address by Judge Roger Gregory, the first African American appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and a musical performance by the Richmond Octaves.

The MLK Celebration Committee selected the theme, “Commit to Humanity,” which draws from King’s words during his 1959 address at the March for Integrated Schools. The speech will be read at the chapel service and recreated on banners in D-Hall.

“Make a career of humanity,” King said. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

“These words are still so poignant and inspiring for us all today,” said Alexandra Byrum, director of Communications and Community Relations, Equity & Community, who served on the MLK Celebration Committee.

All events are open to the public.