1-7-98

Contact:
Steve Sullivan, News Service, (515) 294-3720

ISU REMEMBERS MARTIN LUTHER KING, JAN. 15-27

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University and the Ames community will remember Martin Luther King Jr. through several events scheduled in honor of the civil rights leader, Jan. 15-27.

King was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39. If he was still alive today, he would turn 69 on Jan. 15. The national holiday honoring King is Monday, Jan. 19; university offices will be closed and no classes will be held that day.

Iowa State and Ames will honor King through several speaking and musical events.

The King celebration will begin with "Keeping the Dream on Track," a city-wide, interfaith service on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. in the Ames City Auditorium, 515 Clark Ave.

A musical extravaganza to honor King will begin at noon Friday, Jan. 16, in the South Ballroom of the Memorial Union. Among the groups performing are the Big 8 Gospel Singers and the Dance Ministry of Praise. ISU President Martin Jischke and Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill will speak at the event. A cake reception will follow.

"The Urban Bush Women," a visiting company of African American artists, will pay musical tribute to King at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, in the Bethesda Lutheran Church, 1517 Northwestern Ave. The performers will join the audience for birthday cake after the show.

The annual "Let Freedom Ring" carillon concert can be heard on Tuesday, Jan. 20, on ISU's central campus. Carilloneur Tin-Shi Tam will begin playing at 11:50 a.m.

The King celebration's keynote address will be given by Patricia Russell-McCloud, president of The Links Inc., a national community service organization. Russell-McCloud's address, "Where Do We Go From Here?," will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. Russell-McCloud was an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission for ten years.

Director John Singleton's film, "Rosewood," will be shown at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union. "Rosewood" is a true story about a small Florida town that was destroyed in 1923 over of race issues.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the ISU Lectures Program, (515) 294-9934.

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Revised 1/7/98