Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation

Watch the event from Bothwell Auditorium
Open the event program (pdf)

Blackburn College will host its annual Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Convocation Friday, January 26, 2024, in Bothwell Auditorium at 11:00 am CT. This year, to commemorate the Civil Rights Movement and the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Blackburn will host accomplished musician and spoken-word Galen Abdur-Razzaq as keynote speaker. The event will also include a reading of a proclamation from the City of Carlinville and the presentation of Blackburn’s MLK student leadership award. The convocation is free and open to the public.

Abdur-Razzaq is considered one of the most popular artists on university and college campuses in the United States. An accomplished musician and spoken-word artist with a career spanning more than 30 years, he will present “Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement.”

“I don’t believe that Blackburn College has celebrated MLK Day with a musical performer,” said Dr. Michael Cummings, Chief Diversity Officer, Executive Director of DEIB, and Title IX Coordinator. “We thought his presentation and performance would be an excellent way to connect and engage with students, faculty, staff, and the community in a different way. We’re very excited about his visit.”

This event is coordinated by Blackburn College’s Office of Institutional Equity, partnering with Student Life and the Department of Music & Theatre with funding support from Blackburn’s Student Experience Fund.