A gala, community worship, an annual march and festival and tough conversations will mark Stetson University’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, celebrated Jan. 15.

With its 2024 theme of “Shifting the Cultural Climate Through the Study and Practice of Nonviolence,” the annual celebration honors the legacy of the civil rights pioneer and peace advocate, who was assassinated in 1968.

According to The King Center, the theme is designed as a contrast to the violence, hate and poverty dominating the world’s political and social climates.

Stetson honors MLK’s legacy year-round, according to Davion Belk ’16 MBA ’20, deputy chief of Staff and Student Success Advocate and interim director for the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.

At the luncheon MLK Life & Legacy Celebration on Jan. 18, the panel will engage in “a comprehensive dialogue on activism, oppression and nonviolent strategies,” Belk said, citing the famous Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott as an example.

“Stetson really believes that college is a space for that where you should be having tough conversations, where you should be challenging the norm, where you should be listening to both sides and moving forward with amicable solutions,” Belk continued. Also, the university “has policies that allow students to protest peacefully,” he added.

Although the week’s activities will feature an event focused on tough conversations —”Things We Don’t Talk About at Dinner: Race Edition”—those conversations are a natural outflow of Stetson’s culture, Belk said. “We have different conversations that really get students to think and allow that space for them to move ideas forward,” he noted.

The weeklong MLK Day events began Jan. 13 with the MLK Celebration Gala & Awards Banquet. The guest speaker was Donnie McClurkin, a three-time Grammy Award gospel singer. On Jan. 14, the MLK Unity Workshop Service was held at Mt. Calvary Freewill Baptist Church, with guest speaker Master Hilton Rawls III, a 13-year-old preacher.

Other MLK celebration events:

Annual MLK Unity March 

Monday, Jan. 15

Assembly begins at 10 a.m. outside Museum of Art – DeLand (600 N. Woodland Blvd.) March begins at 10:45 a.m., proceeding through Downtown DeLand, arriving at Earl Brown Park by 11:45 a.m.

Note: This is a community event coordinated by the MLK DeLand Planning Committee. Free and open to the public. Participants are encouraged to bring banners and signs that reflect their commitment to MLK’s vision of economic and racial justice. Greater Union First Baptist Church will provide transportation back to Stetson for anyone who requires it.

Annual MLK Festival

Monday, Jan. 15

Earl Brown Park (750 S. Alabama Ave., DeLand), noon-3 p.m.

Features family-friendly live performances, local business and nonprofit activity booths, food trucks and a basketball tournament.

Note: This is a community event coordinated by the MLK DeLand Planning Committee. Free and open to the public.

Things We Don’t Talk About At Dinner: Race Edition

Tuesday, Jan. 16

CUB 261 – Lee’s Garage, 7-8:30 p.m.

Cultural Credit Event

It’s often said there are some things people just shouldn’t talk about at dinner — usually politics, race and religion. That’s not the case at this dinner event (catered by Tijuana Flats), where discussions will center around race. No previous experience or special knowledge is needed. Just bring yourself and a commitment to listening and sharing. Seating will be limited to the first 40 people who show up, so arrive by 7 p.m. to get your spot!

Note: This event is free and open to the public.

MLK Life & Legacy Celebration

Thursday, Jan. 18

CUB 203 – Stetson Room, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion formally invites you to the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Life and Legacy Celebration. Join a distinguished panel facilitated by Alexis Newman, director of Student Success and Retention Initiatives. The panel features the voices of Department of Education’s Rajni Shankar-Brown, PhD, and Patrick Coggins, PhD, along with Primrose Cameron, PhD., CEO for Sisters Build Network for Girls Inc. The panel will engage in a comprehensive exploration of dialogue inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event includes the panel discussion and lunch, as well as original spoken-word poetry by Shankar-Brown, Stetson’s Professor and the Jessie Ball duPont Distinguished Chair of Social Justice Education and president of the National Coalition for the Homeless. 

Note: Registration is required.

-Cheri Henderson