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 the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with WMU Athletics and the Seita Scholars Program.

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 also gave the 2023-24 Gifford Lectures at The University of Edinburgh, titled “A Jazz-soaked Philosophy for our Catastrophic Times: From Socrates to Coltrane.”