Student Voices To Highlight Annual Salem State MLK Jr. Convocation

SALEM, MA — The 35th Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation at Salem State University will focus on student voices — including those of Salem Public Schools students through the winners of the annual MLK Essay Contest — in an event free and open to the public on Jan. 27.

Salem State history professor Jamie Wilson will deliver the keynote address and includes a panel discussion led by members of Bold, Educated, Empowered Sisters (BEES) and The Brotherhood, two student groups dedicated to promoting the academic, personal, and professional success of Black and Brown women and men on campus respectively.

"In previous years, we've brought outside speakers or guests to serve as the convocation keynote speaker, but this year, we really wanted to amplify the voices of students, faculty, staff, and members of our community," said Carlie Pierre, director of education and training in the inclusive excellence office. "We're excited to have professor Jamie Wilson serve as our keynote speaker this year. His research and work are centered around Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his legacy, his life, and his relevance to American history."

Wilson recently authored a biography on King, titled Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Life in American History.

"What I'm trying to do is have us think about the relevance of King beyond the soundbites we all love," Wilson said, then beginning to recite King's famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. "I've seen school-aged children, elementary school children, recite that whole speech. This time, let's take him off that pedestal and put him in our daily lives."

The theme of this year's event is Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365, an online training platform dealing with conflict and dismantling injustice.

Winners of the annual MLK Essay Contest will also be announced. The contest is open to all Salem
public schools elementary, middle, and high school students, asking them to write a one-page essay tying into this year's theme. Submissions were due in mid-December.

Convocation is free and open to the public, with no RSVP necessary, at the Sophia Gordon Center, 352 Lafayette St., at 11 a.m. on Monday.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)