Joyce Ladner to deliver keynote address January 13, 2023 in the University of Mississippi’s Johnson Commons Ballroom
Civil rights activist, author and sociologist Joyce Ladner will deliver the keynote address during a communitywide dinner at the University of Mississippi commemorating the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hosted by the UM Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, the dinner is set for 6:30 pm January 13, 2023 in the Paul B. Johnson Sr. Commons.
This year’s theme is “Building Upon the Legacy: It Starts With Me,” which connects with the university’s 60 Years of Integration theme “Build Upon the Legacy,” honoring James Meredith.
“We chose Dr. Ladner because she is a native Mississippian who was a student civil rights activist in Mississippi during the 1960s,” said Cade Smith, assistant vice chancellor for community engagement. “She worked alongside Medgar Evers and other students from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to advance civil rights in Mississippi.
“She has also served in research fellowships and leadership positions in numerous think tanks and civic and professional organizations, including Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Sociological Association and the Brookings Institution.”
The university and its Division of Diversity and Community Engagement hosted the inaugural memorial dinner and celebration in 2020 to honor the life and legacy of King and strengthen bonds between the citizens of Oxford and Ole Miss.
“We want to begin the holiday weekend with fellowship, food, music and an inspirational message,” Smith said. “We also wanted to complement the traditional MLK holiday activities in Oxford, including the community-led readings of Dr. King’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ at Off Square Books on the Saturday before the holiday and the remembrance and celebration services hosted at local churches during the holiday weekend.”
The buffet opens at 6:30 pm. Guests must register before the event. Seating is limited. For more information, visit https://olemiss.givepulse.com/event/336552.
By Edwin B. Smith
About the Author
University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is Mississippi’s flagship university. A member of the elite group of R1: Doctoral Universities - Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification, Ole Miss has a long history of producing leaders in public service, business, academics and the professions. Its 16 academic divisions include a major medical school; nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy; and an Honors College acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning and opportunities for community action. Acclaimed as one of the nation’s most beautiful, Ole Miss's main campus is in Oxford, which is routinely recognized as one of the nation's best college towns.
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