Dyson to give Martin Luther King Day speech

	Michael Eric Dyson

Michael Eric Dyson, Ph.D., hailed as an engaged and politically active scholar, will be Lehigh’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration keynote speaker at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 in Packard Lab’s Room 101.
Dyson, the Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, is the author of numerous books, including the New York Times bestseller Is Bill Cosby Right?. His latest book, Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster, champions the issues plaguing the disenfranchised in America.
As one of the most visible black intellectuals in the world today, Dyson’s speech will address keeping King’s legacy alive in the 21st century and is free and open to the public. There will be a public reception and book signing immediately following the lecture.
On Thursday, Jan. 18, there will be an interfaith prayer breakfast from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in University Center Room 308A where members of the university community can enjoy breakfast together and acknowledge the great need for cross-cultural and interfaith engagement. This event is free, but those planning to attend need to R.S.V.P. to the Office of Multicultural Affairs by Jan. 15.
There will be a faculty roundtable discussion on Dr. King’s writings on poverty and justice at 4 p.m. on Jan. 23 in Maginnes Hall Room 101. All members of the Lehigh community are welcome to attend.
Faculty panel members will include: Jeff Fleisher, visiting professor in Africana Studies and anthropology and director of the Joint Multicultural program; William Scott, professor and director of Africana Studies program; Lloyd Steffen, University Chaplain and professor and department chair of religion studies; and Seth Moglen, associate professor of English.
Lehigh is currently working to create a more culturally competent community, where members understand and value difference and diversity, says Alta Thornton, assistant dean of multicultural affairs. “Bringing in speakers like Dr. Dyson and hosting other MLK events will hopefully help us open and broaden minds, while honoring the legacy and mission of an important man like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
The events are sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Joint Multicultural Program.
For more information on any of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration events, please contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs at (610) 758-5973.
--Sarah Cooke