Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz
NOTE: This event has been relocated from Miller Auditorium to Read Fieldhouse and will start at 6:30 p.m. The relocation was necessary due to an emergent mechanical issue at Miller. Event attendees may park in lots 13 and 22.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and an award-winning author, educator and producer, will speak at Western Michigan University during the MLK Celebration on Monday, Jan. 15, in honor of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Her talk at 6 p.m. in Miller Auditorium will follow a campus teach-in event with four sessions from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the WMU Student Center. Teach-in sessions in the celebration’s theme of “Chaos or Community?” include:
Connecting Passion and Purpose.
The Unseen KING.
Student Panel Perspectives.
What side are you on?
“The theme for this year’s MLK Celebration is ‘Chaos or Community?’ because there is a need for community if we are to address the many ills of our world," says Dr. Candy McCorkle, vice president for diversity and inclusion. "Dr. Shabazz has a family legacy of community building. It is our hope that she will inspire us and guide us on how to create a community to combat chaos caused by hate, indifference and fear.”
A featured exhibit curated by the Black History 101 Mobile Museum that honors Malcolm X will run at the same time as the teach-in.
All events are free and open to the public, although tickets for Shabazz’s presentation are required and available through the Miller box office for pick up until the evening of the event. You can also watch Shabazz’s presentation online.
MLK Celebration events are held in partnership with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations and Intercollegiate Athletics.
View more information about events
About Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz
Shabazz has authored five historical novels and is co-chairperson of the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center. Grounded in the commitments of her parents, Shabazz emphasizes empowerment and inclusion in her teaching and scholarship.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.