The keynote speaker for Northwestern’s Evanston Campus celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day said Americans today, particularly students, must take an active role in fulfilling King’s vision.
Kweisi Mfume, from Maryland, spoke Monday at a nearly full Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Mfume is the former President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and is running for U.S. Senate. Mfume’s words had political undertones, touching on issues such as poverty.
“Jobs, although the best social program, are not enough,” Mfume said. On education, he said many high school diplomas are essentially meaningless “certificates of attendance” and that children are not getting the education they deserve.
Mfume called on everyone, particularly students, to go beyond making excuses and blaming others for problems so people can form a “common coalition” to fight for social reforms. He said this kind of activism is more important to the remembrance of King than any form of commemoration.
Mfume also spoke against the idealization of King, noting that all people are imperfect.
“God still calls us to a perfect mission,” he said, which includes meeting basic needs such as “security for seniors,” “clothing the naked” and “feeding the hungry.” King reminded us that we can be somebody, Mfume said.
Mfume’s address included moments of levity, a tone he set early on.
“Mr. President, I’ll be brief no matter how long it takes,” he said shortly after he took the stage.
Mfume also included pop-culture references in his oratory. He used Tom Hanks’ famous line from the movie “Apollo 13” – “Houston, we have a problem” – as a refrain to highlight problems in American society, including overlooked disparities in health care, discriminatory business practices and the prevalence of disrespectful song lyrics.
Mfume spoke of times when differences have prevented perfect harmony in America. He related those periods to differences today that alienate groups from one another. These include differences between the educated and uneducated, and between those who have homes and the homeless.
Besides Mfume’s speech, the ceremony included remarks from University President Henry Bienen and music from the Northwestern Community Ensemble and the University Chorale.
Doris Pearson, a retired 70-year-old Chicago resident, said she came to see Mfume because she was concerned with what people could and should do to effect change.
“I wanted to come out and be a part of the celebration,” she said.
Others also said they were pleased with the ceremony.
“It was very uplifting,” said Tedd Vanadilok, director of Asian American Student Affairs. He said he particularly enjoyed the music and the sense of activism the celebration evoked.
McCormick junior Craig Carter, a student representative on the committee that planned the MLK Day events, said the committee chose Mfume as keynote speaker because of his extended service with the NAACP. Carter said he thinks the NAACP’s vision “aligns with the vision of Dr. King.”
He said Mfume has “a wealth of knowledge to offer to NU and the greater Evanston community.”
The committee chooses the speaker more than a year in advance, Carter said. Past speakers include Yolanda King and Princeton University Prof. Cornel West.
“A lot of it comes down to the speaker’s availability,” he said.
Mfume’s told students to remember King’s commitment to make a difference in a world that was resistant to change.
“He was a stalwart in the storm,” he said.
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