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MLK,Jr. holiday at FSU
Coretta Scott King says "A day on, POt 8 day off" at national signing of MLK, Jr law.
Why we celebrate MLK day? R8m6mb8r6d through CandlGlight
by Tiffinie Lee
Voice Staff Writer
In 1955, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
joined Rosa Parks in the most memorable and
effective bus boycott in American history.
A year later due to Dr. King’s decision to
see the boycott through and Mrs. Park’s un
willingness to move, bus segregation was de
clared illegal by the Supreme Court.
Coretta Scott King created The King Cen
ter in 1968. When asked why we celebrate
MLK day, she was quoted as saying,
“The national holiday honoring Dr. King is
an occasion for joy and celebration for his life
and his work toward nonviolent social change
in America and the world.”
Since it was made into a federal holiday
by former President, Ronald Reagan in 1983,
students as well as people from all around the
world, celebrate MLK day by volunteering
at local shelters, attending church to honor
his life, and by vowing to show no hate to
wards others. Martin Luther King Jr. stood
for equality for all, peacefiil living and an end
to all racism.
We celebrate Dr. King because he is an
iconic symbol of integration among Ameri
cans. He has helped change the way we view
and get along with one another and his ac
complishments both while he was alive and
in his passing, has shown us that hate towards
others is not the way to solve problems. He
stood for all Americans and those around the
world and sent a message that was not only
for blacks, but for those who were disenfran
chised within society as well.
Dr. King powered his way through hate
National Orator
on campus
Orator Kenneth O. Cape! speaking at
FSU's Martin Luther King Celebration
at J.W. Seabrook Auditorium Monday
night, January 16.
and segregation with his ability to reach peo
ple with his words. We celebrate on the third
Monday in January his life and accomplish
ments because with those words, he helped
forge new laws and set precedent changes in
the minority community.
Alisha Stanton, a junior at FSU said “Mar
tin Luther King Jr helped out many people
of all races. When you think about it, with
out his help, we would still be trapped in the
1960’s fighting for justice for simple things
such as sitting down in a restaurant or drink
ing fl'om a water fountain.”
While educating those that MLK was a day
of service and not a day off, Fayetteville State
University held volunteer activities in coop
eration with the Second Harvest Food Bank
in the late King’s name on Jan. 16.
Martin Luther King Jr. was quoted saying
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only
light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.”
Dr. King
by April Love
Voice Staff Writer
On what once was just another Monday in
January, the third Monday of the month is now
set aside to recognize the late and great Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. President Ronald Rea
gan signed a law in 1983 recognizing the third
Monday in January as Martin Luther King Jr.
day, and it was first celebrated/recognized in
1986. Since this time, the day has come to be
more than just having the day off for school
kids or even another holiday for a forgotten
American figure; Martin Luther King Day has
now come to be a day of service in order to
Voice Photos by Eldon Alford, Jr,
FSU's very own Mr. FSU Ervin Brinkley and Mrs. FSU Tatianna Mosley sharing
candle light at Martin Luther King Jr. candlelight vigil at Dr, Martin Luther King Jr
Menfiorial Park Thursday, Jan. 12.
carry on his torch and tradition of service to
others. The work that Dr. King did throughout
his life, including his non-violent movement
to further the Civil Rights movement, have
created a legacy far reaching and it has en
couraged others to continue in his path.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once said, "Life's
most persistent and urgent question is; 'What
are you doing for others?"' Fayetteville State
University answers this question by participat
ing in an annual MLK Service day, in which
they enlist students to create service projects
and then execute them throughout the com
munity and on campus. Some of these activi
ties include voter registration, cleaning up the
community, and being of service to those in
need. The MLK Day of Service is a part of
United We Serve, the President's national call
to service initiative. This day gives students
and others a chance to fulfill some aspects of
Dr King’s dream that he spoke of and lived
and died for.
One of President Obama’s biggest issues
that he champions is service, and as a part
of his initiative, he has tried to bring more
attention to MLK Day of Service, and asks
Americans to not take the day off, but rather
take the day on. On a day that students had
on, sophomore Victoria Brown woke up early
and went out into the cold to be a participant
for the school’s day of service, on her involve
ment, “it felt good to help people register and
give back to the community. 1 know that the
outcome will be greater than ever fathomed.”
People today are not only learning what Mar
tin Luther King’s mission of service was, but
now, instead of just sleeping in on a Monday
they have off, they are able to keep Dr. King’s
dream alive.
MLK Day: Challenge
by Cimmeon Terry
Voice Staff Writer
“Martin Luther King Jr died for equal rights. People die today for
Jordans.” -Anonymous
A day off or a day on? The question that goes off in our heads
every time January. 16th comes around the comer People desper
ately wait for that one day off. In this day and age people are tired.
But as all mature minds know, if you knew what MLK was about,
there is no excuse. Ever since the establishment of Martin Luther
King Jr, Day, Fayetteville State University has been an advocate for
participation in productive and charitable events on campus and in
the surrounding community.
As expected, FSU students exceeded the participation atten
dance for the MLK Day of Service. There were plenty of charity
causes going on available for students of all ages to be a part of.
The events in detail that were available were students being sent to
volunteer work at venues such as The Jubilee House , The Boys and
Girls Club, The Salvation Army and the Dorothy Spainhour Center.
There were also charity events at the 2nd Harvest Food Bank , Ti-
gata, and The American Red Cross.
Tiara Walker, a 19-year old sophomore was one of the coordina
tors of the day’s activities. As a double major in Criminal Justice
and Psychology and the president of the FSU NAACP chapter she
is obviously no stranger to hard work. Tiara feels that participation
in the day of service is imperative. “Students should be active in
charitable works every day if possible, not just this day. It would be
a waste if students didn’t do something productive on MLK day.”
As pleasantly expected Walker was happy to report a high atten
dance and volunteer output. “Most of the students enjoyed going to
the different places and they talked about doing it again next year.”
January 16th is the one day where everyone should walk in Dr.
King’s footsteps. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated and gave his life
so that we have the right to go where we want, make the choices we
want, and live how we want. Thanks to him, our God-Given rights
were restored to the fullest. You can imagine that he didn’t take too
many days off.
“The people who are trying to make this world worse than what it
is are not taking a day off. How can 1?” -Bob Marley