MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Freed
561-297-3022, lfreed@fau.edu

FAU Campuses Host Events
in Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Florida Atlantic University will commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a series of events to honor the African-American Civil Rights activist. The following events will take place at the university's Boca Raton and Jupiter campus, unless otherwise noted:

What: Paul Ruseabegina lecture
Date: Sunday, January 15, 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Location: Kaplan Jewish Community Center auditorium, 3151 N. Military Trail, in West Palm Beach

Paul Rusesabegina, the hotel manager whose story was featured in the film "Hotel Rwanda" will be speaking at the Kaplan Jewish Community Center auditorium in West Palm Beach. There will be an interfaith discussion based on his remarks and focusing on the current genocide crisis in Darfur, Sudan following the lecture. Reservations are necessary. Admission is $10 for adults, and free for students with Student ID.
For more information, contact Dr. Rosanna Gatens at 561-297-2929 or e-mail rgatens@fau.edu.

What: Martin Luther King Jr. March/Candlelight Vigil
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 6 p.m.
Location: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, in Boca Raton. Event begins in front of the University Center and ends at The Schmidt College of Arts and Humanities Amphitheater.

The Candlelight Vigil will begin with the FAU Gospel choir, singing a rousing rendition of the Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice." Devin T. Robinson X, an FAU student, will recite the infamous March on Washington speech. The night will continue with short tributes to a few black pioneers who have died in 2005 -- including Rosa Parks, John H. Johnson, and C. Delores Tucker. For more information, contact Tamieka Pharr at 561-297-4037.

The following events will take place at FAU's MacArthur campus, 5353 Parkside Drive in Jupiter. These events will be open to students, staff, and faculty. RSVP is requested. The Office of Diversity Services and Black Student Union is sponsoring these events. If individuals with a disability need an accommodation, contact Naomi Greelis at 561-799-8585 or by e-mail at ngreelis@fau.edu.

What: Vernon Jones, the director of GEAR UP at Broward Community College, will present "Martin Luther King, Jr.: Our Mission Past and Present"
Date: Tuesday, January 17, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: SR 108
Vernon Jones will lecture on Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement in this multimedia experience.

What: Teaching Tolerance Film: "America's Civil Rights Movement", Documentary Short Subject Academy Award Winner. A short discussion will follow the film.
Date: Tuesday, January 17, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: AD 119
Film description: 38 minutes. Produced by three-time Academy Award winner Charles Guggenheim, "A Time for Justice" recalls the crisis in Montgomery, Little Rock, Birmingham and Selma. But more importantly, it reveals the heroism of individuals who risked their lives for the cause of freedom and equality.

What: Teaching Tolerance Film: "Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks," Oscar-nominated film. A short discussion will follow.
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 6 to 7 p.m.
Location: AD 119
Film description: 40 minutes. Behind every great protest movement is a community of ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary things. "Mighty Times" is the story of how one woman, Rosa Parks, inspired a community to unite in its opposition to segregation and change America forever. The film revisits the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 and 1956, and presents it as more than a history lesson, but as a model for young activists looking to make positive change in their communities.

What: Teaching Tolerance Film: "Mighty Times: The Children's March" A short discussion will follow.
Date: Tuesday, January 31, 6 to 7 p.m.
Location: AD 119
Film description: 40 minutes. "The Children's March" tells the story of how the young people of Birmingham, Ala., braved fire houses and police dogs in 1963 and brought segregation to its knees. Their heroism moved U.S. President John F. Kennedy to introduce the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a key piece of federal legislation that transformed not just the south, but the entire nation.

For more information on FAU's Martin Luther King Jr. Day events, contact Lisa Freed, media relation's senior information specialist of FAU, at 561-297-3022.

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