Ripon College celebrates Martin Luther King Week with public offerings

Ripon College’s annual recognition of Martin Luther King Jr., his life and legacy will be held with four days of events Jan. 25-28. The focus will be economic justice.

• Monday, Jan. 25 — “At the River I Stand.” This moving documentary recounts the two months leading to Martin Luther King Jr.’s death in 1968, coinciding with the 65-day strike of 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers. Bring your dinner and join us for this documentary at 5 p.m. in the Pickard Dining Room, S.N. Pickard Commons.
• Tuesday, Jan. 26 — Keynote Address: Rich Benjamin will speak at 7 p.m. in Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union. Benjamin is an American cultural critic, multimedia journalist and author. He is perhaps best known for the nonfiction book “Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America.” His investigation of Whitopia was the subject of a 2015 TED Talk. He is also a lecturer and a public intellectual who regularly discusses issues on NPR, MSNBC and FOX News. His writing frequently appears in The New York Times and Salon.
• Wednesday, Jan. 27 — Poor People’s Rally, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union. Why are we rallying? To end the epidemic of police terror and mass incarcerations; to protest austerity and end poverty; to stop attacks on workers’ rights; for justice to stop racism, end attacks on immigrants, women and LGBTQ people; and to end war and occupations and spend the trillions on education, jobs and healthcare. Join us for this exciting hour of civil demonstration in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.
• Thursday, Jan. 28 — Student Debate on Minimum Wage. Experts and Ripon College students will discuss the minimum wage. This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Politics and the People, and a reception will follow. It will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. in Kresge Little Theatre, East Hall. All are welcome to attend.

Committee members for this year include: Kyonna Withers, Christophor Ogle, David William Scott, Kate Moody, Meg Carne, Brian Smith, Tom Beatty, John Hughes and Sarah Frohart-Lane.

(Photo: Rich Benjamin)