MEMORANDUM TO THE MARIST COLLEGE COMMUNITY

FROM: DAVID YELLEN

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the federal holiday honoring the birth of the great American civil rights leader.  Dr. King was born in 1929, the same year Marist was founded, and a time in which America was a place of legalized segregation, denial of basic civil rights, and institutionalized violence against the African American community.  Dr. King fought tirelessly, with great courage and dignity, against discrimination, poverty, and injustice.  It is not an overstatement to say that he helped transform America, and his message of nonviolence continues to inspire today.  Although much work remains to be done to achieve Dr. King's dream of a truly just society, his life and legacy should inspire us all.
 
This Friday, members of the Marist community will be attending, as we do every year, the Catharine Street Community Center's 27th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast.  This year's keynote speaker is award-winning CBS journalist Maurice DuBois.  After his speech at the Catharine Street event, Maurice will come to campus to speak to our students.  There are many other community events commemorating Dr. King, and I urge you to think about what you as an individual can do to honor his memory.  
 
Finally, let me take a moment to thank those Marist employees who are working today to help students get ready for the first day of classes tomorrow.  Your efforts on behalf of our students are greatly appreciated.  Best wishes to all members of the college community for a productive and enjoyable spring semester.