April 16, 2024
W&L Selects Melissa Neal as University Registrar
Melissa Harris-Perry to Keynote W&L’s 2025 MLK Celebration The scholar, writer and political commentator will headline the weeklong programming on campus.
Melissa Harris-PerryWashington and Lee University will celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a weeklong series of events featuring a keynote address by Melissa Harris-Perry, a scholar and writer known for her significant contributions to political science, African American studies and public discourse on race, gender and politics.
Harris-Perry’s moderated talk will occur at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, in the Lenfest Center’s Keller Theatre. The talk is free and open to the public. Dayo Abah, provost faculty fellow and professor of journalism and mass communications, will serve as moderator.
Harris-Perry has held prestigious academic positions, including professorships at the University of Chicago, Princeton University, Tulane University and Wake Forest University, where she has taught since 2014. She currently serves as the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair in the Department of Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest, where she also teaches in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and with the Environment and Sustainability Program.
An influential political commentator and media personality, Harris-Perry was the final host and managing editor of The Takeaway, a daily public radio broadcast and podcast from WNYC Studios. She is co-creator of WNYC’s special series The Takeaway Deep Dives podcast and The Nation’s System Check podcast. From 2012 to 2016, Harris-Perry hosted the weekend morning show “Melissa Harris-Perry” on MSNBC, where she gained national recognition for her insightful political commentary and discussions on social justice issues.
Harris-Perry has been a regular columnist for The Nation and served as an editor-at-large with Elle.com and ZORA. She is the author of the award-winning book, “Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought,” which looks at the complex landscape of Black political discourse through everyday spaces of conversation and community interaction, and “Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America,” which explores the complex experiences of Black women in the United States.
Harris-Perry is the founder and president of the Anna Julia Cooper Center, whose mission is to advance justice through intersectional scholarship and action. She has been a vocal advocate for racial and gender equity, using her platforms to discuss systemic inequalities and promote social justice.
Harris-Perry earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in political science from Duke University. She also studied theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
The university’s MLK Commemorative Planning Committee is co-chaired by Tammy Futrell, dean for diversity, inclusion and student engagement, and Leslie Wingard Cunningham, associate provost for faculty development and professor of English and Africana Studies. They appreciate the Class of 1994 Office of Inclusion and Engagement, the Office of the Provost and the School of Law for their tremendous support. They also offer special thanks to all involved in coordinating the 2025 MLK Celebration events, including, among others, representatives from the Virginia Military Institute and our off-campus community.
For more information, please visit the Class of 1994 Office of Inclusion and Engagement programs and events website.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week at W&L
Sunday, Jan. 19
2 p.m. | SABU Basketball Tournament
Doremus Gymnasium
The Student Association for Black Unity will be hosting its annual Martin Luther King Day Basketball Tournament. This three-on-three tournament allows the community to come together for some friendly competition while raising funds for SABU to host the BlackFLEX Conference and Black Ball on February 1st! The winning team will win a $50 value prize for each player.
Monday, Jan. 20
11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Children’s Celebration in honor of Dr. King’s Birthday
Evans Hall
Children of the Lexington and Rockbridge County community are invited to attend a birthday celebration in honor of Dr. King. There will be games, face painting, and arts and crafts. CARE will also be hosting Reading in Color with three reading sessions for younger children, as well as a raffle to win a copy of one of the books. Cake, snacks and punch will be provided.
Reading in Color
11:30 a.m. – It Starts With Me
12 p.m. – What Love Looks Like
12:30 p.m. – My Red, White and Blue
12:30-2:30 p.m. | MLK Senshin’an Tearoom Open House
Senshin’an Tearoom in Watson Galleries
Join the W&L Chanoyu Tea society in honoring the legacy of Reverend Martin Luther King on Monday, Jan. 20 with a Senshin’an Tearoom Open House in the Watson Galleries from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public with no registration required. We will be serving traditional Japanese sweets and teaching how to whisk your own bowl of matcha using the various tea bowls in our collection! You will learn about basic tea utensils, how to properly whisk matcha and the different kind of matcha tea grades.
6 p.m. | MLK Keynote Speaker: Melissa Harris-Perry
Lenfest Center, Keller Theatre
W&L will host Melissa Harris-Perry. She will present her remarks as the featured speaker for our 2025 MLK Week. Dayo Abah, provost faculty fellow and professor of journalism and mass communications, will serve as moderator. Remember to reserve your in-person ticket or register for the Zoom webinar.
Tuesday, Jan. 21
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | W&L Museums Lunch & Learn – Where Do We Go From Here: Martin Luther King Jr’s Vision of the Beloved Community
Watson Galleries
In honor of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr, join the Art Museum and Galleries for a Lunch & Learn with Professor Mohamed Kamara, who will speak to the role of art in advancing King’s dream and King’s vision of the Beloved Community. Kamara will explore how the Beloved Community can become a rendezvous point where interactions between individuals and peoples are informed and determined by a clear acceptance of our differences and the interdependence of all earthly forces.
Wednesday, Jan. 22
3 p.m. | Special Collections Open House
Leyburn Library LL1
Special Collections and Archives the W&L and local communities to our open house where we will feature items related to Dr. Martin Luther King and his legacy. All are welcome, and we ask visitors to leave any food or drink brought with them outside the venue.
6 p.m. | Reflections on the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Evans Hall
The MLK Reflections event allows community members to gather to reflect on the lessons of Dr. King’s life and work. Each year we invite a range of leaders from both our campus community and our Lexington community to participate to offer a brief commentary on their view of Dr. King’s legacy, what Dr. King has meant to that individual, or to our community, or to our country or our world or our students…the possibilities are endless. This event is open to the public, and a meal will be provided. Please RSVP in advance.
Thursday, Jan. 23
6 p.m. | DeLaney Center From Screen to Square: Film TBD
Stackhouse Theater, Elrod Commons
Details coming soon!
Friday, Jan. 24
6 p.m. | MLK Shabbat
Hillel House
W&L Hillel and the Class of 1994 Office of Inclusion and Engagement invite all members of the W&L and Lexington community to join us for a Shabbat dinner and service honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We will gather at 6 p.m. in the Hillel Sanctuary. Seating is limited so please RSVP in advance.
Saturday, Jan. 25
7 p.m. | African Society Fashion Show
Evans Hall
W&L’s African Society will be hosting their annual African Society Fashion Show and Dance. Come see fashion from all around the continent of Africa and enjoy African inspired dances.
Sunday, Jan. 26
7 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Concert
Wilson Concert Hall, Lenfest Center
Join with us as we honor Dr. King’s contributions to America with the wonderful Lexington tradition of the Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Concert. Readings of speeches and poems by Dr. King, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes and many others become interspersed with musical reflections performed by the W&L University Singers, Cantatrici and the Glee Club.
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