Writer and educator Lasana Hotep took audience members on a

historic journey as he delivered his keynote address for the annual

Martin Luther King Jr. celebration program on Jan. 19.

Writer and educator Lasana Hotep took audience members on a historic journey as he delivered his keynote address for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration program on Jan. 19.

With the use of a PowerPoint, Hotep reminded the audience of the legacy that MLK left in this world from his birth in Atlanta, onto his days at Morehouse College, and up until his death in 1968.

“The program was pretty cool. I learned new information about Dr. King,” said Lacey Linton, sophomore social work major from Greenville. “I was amazed at the fact that he entered college at just 15, a lot of us today would not have been able to handle college at such a young age.”

Gregory Hill, a senior economics major, opened the program as master of ceremonies, and was followed by greetings from various faces on campus. The university gospel choir also performed followed by SGA president Christian Robinson and the introduction of Hotep.

“Last year’s guest speaker [Dr. Steve Perry] was great, as was this year’s, said Cheri Farrior, junior journalism and mass communication major from Newport News Va.

“Of course, not as many people showed up to these events as they should and that’s unfortunate because these speakers come to A&T for us.”

Last years speaker, Perry, spoke to students on the education system in America and expressed to students the importance of closing the education gap and the low commencement rates in the African American community.

This year’s speaker, through his use of intellect and sarcasm, questioned the actions and morals of this generation of African Americans telling his audience of an experience he once endured at a high school Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration program.

The program, Hotep stated, was a wonderful; however, he felt disturbed when seeing the pictures of legendary African American civil rights activist such as Martin Luther king Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks followed by the images of artist and athletes such as Beyonce Knowles, Jay Z, Keke Palmer and Michael Jordan.

As a generation, Hotep stated, we now seem to put individuals such as Keke Palmer and Michael Jordan in the same category as African American civil rights leaders, a phenomenon that is disgracing and upsetting to many. He continued saying the we should instead remember and celebrate the lives of the extraordinary individuals that were beaten, jailed, threatened, and even killed fighting for this generation’s access to equal rights and education.

Throughout his presentation and in his ending comments, Hotep urged this generation to uphold and fight for the issues that matter and to keep moving forward. Martin Luther king’s dream of being judged not by the color of our skin but by the content of our character has gradually become a reality; however, the work that our ancestors started is far from over.

• Liliane Long, Contributor