MLK Day Celebration welcomes Dr. Cornel West

Author, scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West will speak during Western's MLK Day Celebration. His address reflects King’s enduring words that “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” The free event is sponsored by WMU Athletics and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

West, who ran for president in 2024 as an independent candidate, is recognized for his pointed critiques on politics, race and justice. He has written several books, including “Race Matters” and “Democracy Matters,” and currently holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer chair at Union Theological Seminary. His academic career includes teaching positions at Harvard, Princeton and Yale. West gave the Gifford Lectures 2023-24 in Edinburgh, Scotland, titled, “A Jazz-soaked Philosophy for our Catastrophic Times: From Socrates to Coltrane.”