On Sunday, hordes of student, faculty and staff came together to celebrate "Martin Luther King, Junior: A Legacy Unfinished," organized by the Black Student Association. People crowded into Moyer Hall to witness inspirational student performances and hear powerful words from keynote speaker Professor Roberta Meek. The audience gave a standing ovation to Dean Green, winner of the Diversity Leadership Award as a hero who walks among us today.
Perhaps this is why the event took the name "A Legacy Unfinished" and conveyed a sense of action rather than the distant respect of heroism that much of the United States holds for Martin Luther King, Jr. "Heroism," President Helm urged in his speech, "is an excuse to fall short of their example. It is not enough to idolize our heroes. Those great figures did not become such for the sake of heroism, but so their actions might be emulated by those around them and the future generations." President Helm went on to say that "there are heroes walking among us today. I would suggest that Dean Green is one of them."
And despite the panic that had occurred in her temporary absence as she attended church, Dean Green made her way to the podium as the auditorium roared with applause and every audience member rose to their feet with respect and admiration.
As President Helm had articulated so warmly, every member of the audience seemed touched by her compassionate leadership on campus, her ability to bring people together and help them to excel Muhlenberg. Dean Green looked around at a sea of loving, awe-inspired, respectful faces, and tears came to her eyes as she began to speak, telling us that she is surrounded by love. "If you know me," she spoke, "I love deeply and I love passionately." She went on to tell of her experience as she was interviewed and hired by Muhlenberg College, revealing that as soon as she stepped on campus, she fell in love with the school. In a rush of emotion, she concluded her acceptance speech by saying, "now that I'm here, I'm a woman who believes things happen for a reason...This is where I need to be to give you my love."
As she left the podium she was again greeted with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Dean Green had won the hearts of the audience for her kindness and compassion for each individual, as well as her fairness, bravery, intelligence, sense of humor and a plethora of other heroic qualities she shares with Martin Luther King, Junior himself.
The next speaker, Professor Roberta Meek, brought a unique perspective on the qualities of Martin Luther King, Jr. Through "song-talking," a congregational freedom tradition, she both sang and spoke of King's accomplishments and true personality. Having met him as a young girl, she gained a profound understanding of his words, and repeated pieces of his famous speeches. In doing so, she oriented her speech to inspire action in the listeners rather than the distant respect that most hold for heroes. Both the words of Professor Meek and Martin Luther King, Jr. pushed for individual heroism and emulation of heroic qualities to continue the legacy of freedom.
King's legacy is certainly unfinished. Discrimination continues to penetrate the political, economic, and social fabric of the United States in many forms. Professor Meek was confident that King would be behind the Occupy movement, continuing to be an inspiration for freedom and equality of all mankind. "America, you must be reborn," Martin Luther King, Jr. announced to thousands of onlookers. His inspirational speeches and heroism have been repeated countless times over the past half-century. His words ring clear and true in our minds today, encouraging emulation and individual heroism to continue his legacy. As sung by Professor Meek, "We who believe in freedom cannot rest; we who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes."
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