ArtStreet will host a series of events in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. this Friday, Jan. 18.
These will include a vinyl party and a documentary. Studio E will be open for students and faculty to craft posters with images and words inspired by Dr. King until 6 p.m. Afterward, music from the civil rights era featuring Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan and James Brown will fill Studio D.
According to ArtStreet Director Brian LaDuca, ArtStreet planned three vinyl parties last year, each attracting a large audience. He dubbed the event “a nod to the throwback of the era of vinyl albums.”
“At a night in ’63, the purpose was to bring people together to experience a time, place and spirit through music,” LaDuca said. “The audience involved can then hear the music as it was originally recorded in a period before technology might over-polish the final audio.”
There will be a DJ and the University of Dayton student spoken word group, UKURI, will recite poetry influenced by the civil rights movement. The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company will also perform a piece inspired by King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
After the performances, Artstreet’s film series will start the semester with the Spike Lee documentary “4 Little Girls,” hosted by Cecilia Moore, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The film focuses on the 16th St. Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Ala. It shares the story of Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair. All were killed and were 14 years old or younger.
“So many young people today have very little knowledge of the meaning and work of the civil rights movement beyond a passing understanding of who Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs. Rosa Parks were. They are very important, but I believe both would point the countless young people who they worked with to bring about change,” Moore said. “It shows how consequential young people can be in bringing about positive social change.”
The Office of Multicultural Affairs and UD Speaks also helped organize this day to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., an icon of the civil rights movement.
“There hasn’t been an event that has looked at the influence of Dr. King through music, dance and poetry. It is a chance for a 21st century UD student to hear and experience music from over 50 years ago that influenced and shaped the world we live in today,” LaDuca said.
At no cost, all University of students can experience this event that LaDuca described as a “once in a lifetime experience.”
For more information, contact Artstreet at 937-229-5101 or go to artstreet.udayton.edu.
