Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation 2025
Freedom Intersections
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister, activist and political philosopher, was one of the most influential and celebrated civil rights leaders in U.S. history. Before his April 4, 1968, murder in Memphis, King became the youngest man to win the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35. His iconic听 and his听 continue to resonate across multiple generations today.
鈥淔reedom intersections,鈥 the theme of the 2025 convocation, will guide a community exploration of how global power dynamics and solidarity have intersected over the decades to propel current and past freedom movements, including the U.S. civil rights movement.
Participants will also be invited to consider the following excerpt from Dr. King鈥檚 鈥淟etter from a Birmingham Jail鈥 within the present-day context: 鈥淚njustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.鈥
Isabel Wilkerson
Isabel Wilkerson (photo by Leslie Andrews)
Isabel Wilkerson is the author of the bestsellers 鈥鈥 and 鈥.鈥 She won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994, becoming the first Black woman to earn the accolade for feature writing and individual reporting.
In 2016, former President Barack Obama awarded Wilkerson the National Humanities Medal for "championing the stories of an unsung history."
鈥淭he Warmth of Other Suns鈥 won the National Book Critics Circle Award.听More than 30 publications listed the book among its best of the year, including the听Los Angeles Times,听The Washington Post, and听The New York Times, which also named the book one of the 100 best books of the 21st century. In 2020,听Time magazine named 鈥淐aste鈥 nonfiction book of the year, and Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club.
A Howard University alumna, Wilkerson has taught at Princeton, Emory, Boston and other universities across the United States, Europe and Asia. Learn more about the author鈥檚 work by visiting the听.
Event Sponsors
This event is sponsored by the听Center for African and African American Studies,听College of Engineering and Applied Science, Strategic Resources and Support,听, Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and .
Registration
Registration is now closed. Walk-up registration will not be available at the event. Please have your confirmation email ready during event check-in.听
Parking
Macky Auditorium is at the intersection of 17th Street and University Avenue on the CU 海角社区 campus. To chart driving directions, use the address 鈥1595 Pleasant St.鈥
Paid parking is available at Euclid Parking Garage and Folsom Garage. Accessible parking is available in lot 380, just east of Macky. Parking is limited and we encourage use of public transit and carpools. See the听event parking map or the听interactive campus map for more options.听
Security
All guests must pass through security screening to enter the event venue. There is a no bag policy for this event. Small purses and clutches that are 4.5鈥漻6.5鈥 or smaller, and bags containing medically necessary equipment, will be permitted after security inspection.听 To request accessibility accommodations, please email Rennea Rojo-Mart铆nez Donovan.听
Regional Events
- , the only one of its kind in the country and celebrating its 41st anniversary, Jan. 20, Civic Center Park in downtown Denver. Opening ceremony starts at 9:30 a.m. and the Marade step-off starts at 10:45 a.m. The event includes a closing ceremony and the Dr. King Legacy Bike Ride.