Swarthmore celebrates the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of virtual gatherings and community events the week of Jan. 18. Though the pandemic has altered the personal format traditionally in place to honor King’s legacy, the planned conversations and film screenings will serve as a reminder of the social justice and racial equality efforts of one of history’s greatest civil rights leaders.

This year’s commemorative events “have been organized to allow us to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and add meaning to the importance of continuing his work,” says Dion Lewis, associate dean of students and director of the Black Cultural Center (BCC), “especially in light of the pervasive and deadly discrimination, inequalities, and dangers to American democracy highlighted by events of the past year.”

The campus events include but are not limited to:

Monday, Jan. 18
Screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble
This film directed by Dawn Porter ’88 is an intimate account of legendary U.S. Rep. John Lewis’s life, legacy, and more than 60 years of extraordinary activism — from the bold teenager on the front lines of the civil rights movement to the legislative powerhouse he was throughout his career. The film will be available here for the entirety of MLK Day.

Wednesday, Jan. 20
Conversation with Dawn Porter ’88 and BCC Director Dion Lewis
Porter will discuss her motivations as well as the determination and organizational skills of civil rights leaders that help to develop the framework of her film. Limited to Swarthmore College community.
7–8 p.m. ET

Friday, Jan. 22
Virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Collection
This campuswide virtual gathering will include time for reflection on the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and related subjects. The event will be led by Dion Lewis and Michael Ramberg, Jewish adviser and interim co-director of the Interfaith Center, and is sponsored by the BCC and Intercultural Center. Limited to Swarthmore College community.
12:30–1:15 p.m. ET