The University of Chicago hosted a daylong event on January 21, 2025, featuring readings from the speeches and writings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event took place in Swift Hall, home to UChicago’s Divinity School, and was organized by the Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion.
Assoc. Prof. Curtis Evans opened the readings with words from Dr. King's September 1962 speech: “We are not only living in a time of cataclysmic change—we live in an era in which human rights is a central world issue. The shape of the world today does not afford us the luxury of an anemic democracy.” Evans emphasized the importance of hearing a range of King's ideas, stating, “It is so crucial that people hear a range of King's ideas—from his critique of racism and white supremacy to his adherence to nonviolent protest to his rejection of consumerism, war, and imperialism.”
This event marked the second annual "Community Readings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." Participants were invited to read for ten minutes each between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., creating a continuous recitation throughout the day.
Emily Crews, executive director of the Martin Marty Center, explained how she and Evans conceived this initiative as a way to foster reflection through King’s words: “I had been talking with my colleague Curtis Evans about vigils, witnesses, observances, and what would it be like to have a vigil to this very particular person and moment in American history,” Crews said.
The gathering attracted diverse participants from both UChicago and beyond. Notable readers included Somaiyya Ahmad from UChicago's Office of the Provost; Dr. Brad Braxton from Chicago Theological Seminary; and former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun.
Moseley Braun expressed her connection to King's legacy by stating: "As a disciple of Dr. King, reading the original message helps me to put his struggle in context, and enhances my understanding of his message to us all."
Evans concluded with another passage from King’s 1965 commencement address at Oberlin College: "...all mankind is tied together; all life is interrelated... Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly."
The event aimed at bringing together individuals from various backgrounds while honoring King's call for collective action and mutual understanding.