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Yale School of Public Health to Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

On January 23, the Yale School of Public Health will honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by holding a birthday celebration.  The annual event will consist of readings from his work, some original poetry readings and other poetry/prose relevant to Dr. King's work, life, and issues that he held dear.  Lunch will be served.  The YSPH celebration of Dr. King’s life began several years ago when the university began observing Martin Luther King Day on the Monday following Dr. King’s birthday.  The celebration will be held in LEPH, the First Floor Lounge and is open to all students, faculty and staff of the Yale community.

Dr. King, who was born on January, 15, 1929, was an instrumental leader in the American Civil Rights movement.  He delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech advocating racial harmony at the 1963 March on Washington.  Approximately 250,000 people participated in the march.  The political rally raised America’s consciousness of the Civil Rights Movement.  Following the march, the Civil Rights Act and National Voting Rights Act were passed in 1964 and 1965 respectively.

In 1964, for his efforts in eradicating segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent means, Dr. King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.  Posthumously, Dr. King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Carter in 1977 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.  Martin Luther King Day was established as a national holiday in 1986.

-Story by Marcie Addy