The Justice

Media Credit: Julian Agin-Liebes Rev. Hurmon E. Hamilton, Jr. said it is "time to dream again" in an emotional speech he delivered at "Celebrating the King Legacy," held Monday in the Shapiro Campus Center Theater in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day.

The memory of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was honored yesterday in a program titled, "Celebrating the King Legacy," which included performances from soul and gospel singer Louise Grasmere, a member of the finalist of MTV's Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew, Status Quo, as well as the Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

The event also included words from the Rev. Hurmon Hamilton and a special presentation of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech by Kenneth Altidor '10. It was sponsored by MLK Scholars and Friends, the Division of Student Affairs, the Brandeis Student Union and the Office of Communications.

The celebration began when Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams, who coordinated the program, presented a list of reasons we celebrate the King legacy, including the Jena Six, a group of black teenagers who were charged with the beating of a white student in Louisiana in 2006.

Adams explained in an interview with the Justice that he selected performers for the event who he thought would recall the essence of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and who he truly was.

"When folks want to hear what beauty sounds like, they should listen to her," Adams said in his introduction of Louise Grasmere's "simply incomparable voice." In an interview, Grasmere relayed the honor she felt to be able "to show gratitude for Dr. King and all the people who gave their time, their effort and their lives for African Americans and for all the rest of us." She added, "I always find jazz and blues and gospel and the songs from the freedom movement are the music that I absolutely love and have sung for many, many years. I guess the interesting part of it is that I'm white."

She explained that she wanted the audience to take from her performance "an understanding of the power of these songs and that they can cross racial lines; they can be meaningful and powerful for anyone who participates, anyone who sings, anyone who honors the tradition." She added that "I guess I would like people to know that I am honoring this tradition of music and this tradition of sacrifice."

Continued...

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