Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

The Historic 40th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Sarah Willie-LeBreton, President Of Smith College, To Speak At Historic 40th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

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Sarah Willie-LeBreton, the 12th president of Smith College and daughter of Syracuse University’s first Black full professor, department chair, and vice president, Charles Willie G’57, H’92, will serve as featured speaker for the 40th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in the JMA Wireless Dome at Syracuse University.

This year’s theme is: “Living History.”

Tickets are now available. Due to a special 40th anniversary combined dinner program setting, guests are encouraged to reserve their tables and seats as soon as possible.

This annual event is known as the largest of its kind on any college campus. The dinner program seeks to honor the life and legacy of a leader who brings hope and healing to our world and is a direct expression of Syracuse University’s commitment to advancing academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

“Forty is a special number, and forty years is a special commitment. We are honored to welcome President Sarah Willie-LeBreton as our featured speaker for this historic 40th anniversary celebration,” says the Rev. Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Hendricks Chapel. “Through her remarkable impact built through years of dedicated service, President Willie-LeBreton honors her father’s legacy by creating a legacy of her own, and she inspires us all to spark and sustain a better world.”

Speaker: Sarah Willie-LeBreton, president of Smith College

Sarah Willie-LeBreton, Ph.D. is the 12th president of Smith College. An accomplished administrator, scholar, and sociologist who studies social inequality and race & ethnicity, Willie-LeBreton is known for her commitment to the liberal arts, strengthening community, and energizing the work of equity and inclusion.

Willie-LeBreton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in 1986, and an M.A. (1988) and Ph.D. (1995) from Northwestern University, all in sociology. After having taught at Colby College (1991–1995) and Bard College (1995–1997) in tenure-track appointments, she was tenured at Swarthmore College, where she served as coordinator of the Black Studies Program and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology for a total of 17 years. She was appointed as provost and dean of the faculty at Swarthmore in2018 and served in that role until 2023.

Dr. Charles Willie with his classmate, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

President Willie-LeBreton currently serves on the boards of the Grand Canyon Conservancy, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, and the Consortium on Financing Higher Education. She is a member of and has been active in the Eastern Sociological Society, Sociologists for Women in Society, the Association of Black Sociologists, and the American Sociological Association (ASA). For several years, she reviewed sociology and affiliated departments as a member of the ASA’s Departmental Resources Group.

Willie-LeBreton follows in the footsteps of her father, the late Charles Willie G’57, H’92, who came to Syracuse University in 1950 as a graduate student and teaching assistant in sociology. He later earned his doctorate in 1957 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. When he was appointed chair of the sociology department in 1967, he became the first Black department chair in Syracuse University history and later, the first Black full professor. He served as vice president for student affairs from 1972-74, becoming the University’s first Black vice president. A graduate and class president of the Morehouse College class of 1948, Willie’s legacy will forever be tied to his classmate Martin Luther King Jr., whom he recruited to the Syracuse University campus to speak in 1961 and 1965.

Dr. Charles Willie held 15 honorary degrees, including a Doctor of Humane Letters from Syracuse University presented in 1992. In 2017, he was honored by Chancellor Kent Syverud with the Chancellor’s Citation for Lifetime Achievement.

Our 2025 program marks the 40th year for the MLK Celebration at Syracuse University, which will include an address from Willie-LeBreton, student and community group performances, and a presentation of this year’s Unsung Hero Awards.

Dinner buffets will open at 5 p.m. and will be held near the JMA Dome’s west end zone. Guests can enter the “Courtside Lounge and Suites” entrance located between Gates A and B. Halal, Kosher, gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. This year all guests will remain at the tables for the program.

Ticket purchase options are as follows:

All tickets will be assigned a table number at the time of purchase, which will be included in the mobile tickets. Guests interested in sitting with friends are recommended to purchase tickets together to ensure the same table assignment. If your school, college, unit or organization has purchased tables, please email chapel@syr.edu to let us know so we can create a table card with your organization’s name!

Guests may order up to 8 dinner and program tickets online. To purchase one full table (8 seats), select 8 total tickets and proceed to checkout. To purchase more than one table or more than 8 individual tickets, or if experiencing difficulties, please call the JMA Dome Box Office at 1.888.DOME.TIX (315.443.2121), option four.

Buy tickets online at mlk.syr.edu, in person at the Dome Box Office inside Gate B at 900 Irving Ave. (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or by phone (888.DOME.TIX or 315.443.2121, option four). Tickets will be mobile this year and uploaded directly to your MyCuse account to manage upon purchase. View the step-by-step guide on mobile ticketing for more information.

Free parking is available in the Irving Avenue Garage, the Raynor Lot, Henry Lot and the Standart Lot. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, AIRA and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for the event.

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting chapel.syracuse.edu.

 

Important Information for Attendees of the MLK Celebration

We are so thrilled that you’ll be joining us for the celebration. Please see below for important details and contact information!

The Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Sunday, Jan. 21
Art gallery opens at 4:15 PM; Dinner opens at 5 PM.
JMA Wireless Dome at Syracuse University

MOBILE TICKETS

Visit this website for info on your mobile tickets.

PARKING

Free parking is available in the Irving Avenue Garage and in lots west of the JMA Dome. Visit the University’s Parking and Transit Services website for maps and directions. Shuttles will continuously loop from the west lots to Gate A from 2:30 -9 PM.

ENTER THE DOME

Enter the Dome in Gates A, B, C, and N. Gate A is the accessible entrance. 

ACCESSIBILITY

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for the event. Accessible seating is provided on the concourse level of the JMA Wireless Dome.

ATTIRE
All are welcome, regardless of clothing choice! Some will choose to dress up, some will be in business casual clothing, and some in jeans. Again, all are welcome!

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting chapel.syracuse.edu.

2024 MLK Unsung Heroes Announced

The 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Planning Committee is proud to announce the 2024 Unsung Hero Award winners: Murjan Abdi, Sharon Dotger, Elbethel Berhane and Mia-Marie Fields ’24.

The Unsung Hero Award is given to community members, students, faculty and staff who have made a positive impact on the lives of others but are not widely recognized for their contributions. The awards were created to honor Dr. King’s vision of creating positive change in a troubled world. There were a record number of nominations for this year’s award.

The award winners will be recognized at the 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The 2024 celebration will be held on Sunday, Jan. 21, with the art gallery opening at 4:15 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m., and the event at 7 p.m. featuring keynote speaker Talithia Williams. Tickets for the celebration are available on the MLK Celebration website.

The Unsung Heroes are:

Sharon Dotger (Syracuse University faculty)

Dotger is the faculty director of teacher education and undergraduate studies in the School of Education. Over the past year, she has been tasked with redesigning the teacher education program, ensuring that preservice teachers are equipped with the skills, knowledge and compassion necessary to both enter the workforce and thrive in it. This shift will ensure that graduates of the University’s education programs are prepared to work alongside students with disabilities in schools across the nation, bringing the world closer to full inclusion.

Mia-Marie Fields ’24 (Syracuse University student)

Fields, majoring in biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), exemplifies the values of scholarship, service, social justice and inclusion. In her time at Syracuse University, she has helped to develop a portable breast cancer detection device addressing healthcare inequities in resource-limited countries; assisted in updating the Dean’s Advisory Panel in ECS; worked with a team to re-design the interior of 119 Euclid; and introduced Kevin Richardson of the “Exonerated 5” at the Black Excellence Gala. Fields is known to be both selfless and humble in her many pursuits.

Elbethel Berhane (Community youth)

Currently a senior at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, Berhane began her work with the Umoja/Kente Club as a first-year student and has continued her service by becoming the co-student advisor in her senior year. Last summer, she became certified and trained through the Student Coalition on Race and Equity, an initiative that accesses the talent and skills of students to eliminate racism in their community, starting in their school district. She currently works with People In Action and teaches Bible stories and lessons in the Amharic language to elementary school children at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Baldwinsville, New York.

Murjan Abdi (Community member)

A dedicated leader, Abdi uplifts his community with tremendous commitment. A proud graduate of the Syracuse City School District, he joined the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), serving in the field of workforce development. Prior to his work at MACNY, Murjan was an integral part of Onondaga Community College, significantly impacting the Educational Opportunity Program and the Collegiate Science Technical Entry Program. As a former peer financial mentor at CNY Works, Murjan’s unique ability to connect with young people catalyzed positive transformations in Syracuse. His commitment to community development inspires hope for a more inclusive future in Syracuse.

How Meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Influenced Rick Wright G’93 and Inspired His Broadcasting Career

Roosevelt “Rick” Wright G’93 had a front-row seat as the Civil Rights Movement took off across the American South in the late 1950s and early 1960s, participating in the sit-ins and demonstrations while coming face-to-face with police dogs and fire hoses in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

At the heart of the movement were the non-violent, civil disobedience teachings of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader who inspired Black citizens around the country to speak out and stand up for their constitutional rights.

Read more in the link below and listen to the podcast!

How Meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Influenced Rick Wright G’93 and Inspired His Broadcasting Career (Podcast)