Vigil honors King

About 50 students marched from Dubois College House to College Hall last night, holding candles and singing "We Shall Overcome" in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The commemorative candlelight vigil, sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, began a little after 6:30 p.m. inside Dubois College House. After viewing a short video dedicated to King, the students formed a procession outside Dubois and began walking slowly down Locust Walk. Once outside College Hall, the students formed a circle by the Ben Franklin statue and listened as Kaplan Mobray, Black Student League president, Mia Pittman, president of the University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and several other student leaders spoke about King. "Now is a time to reflect," Mobray said. "We're here in the cold, not because we have to be, but because we recognize [King's contributions]." Wharton junior Robert Smith, the last of the student speakers, spoke of King's "love of all mankind" and his courage. "Martin Luther King, Jr. not only had the courage to stand up to his oppressors, but had the courage to die for his convictions," Smith said. Alpha Phi Alpha Historian Malaney Hill, who organized the vigil, said before the procession began that he felt very proud to be a part of this traditional tribute to King, who was a member of the same fraternity. "We've been doing this for the past seven or eight years," Hill said. "We are extremely honored to have once had [King] as a frat brother. His words, his message, demanded that this country live up to its promise to its people to provide the opportunity to pursue life, liberty and happiness." Hill added that one of the things he admired most about King was his nonviolent methods of protest. "Any man can take a gun, any man can throw his fist," Hill said. "For a man to take a nonviolent stand -- that is something to be admired." College junior Rashad Ibrahim, one of the many students who participated in the candlelight vigil, said last night that he makes a conscious effort to remember King every year. "I try to do something every year for Dr. King," Ibrahim said. "I think it's important to dedicate a little time to a man who dedicated his life [to civil rights]." College sophomore Dana Duncan, another participant, said she marched to show King's memory "respect," something that she feels the University has not done in having class on Monday. "It's sad that the University hasn't acknowledged [Martin Luther King Day] as a real holiday," Duncan said. "It shows a disregard for civil rights and what Martin Luther King did, not just for black people, but for everyone." College junior Ragiba Sealy, another student participant, said last night that she felt the vigil was a tribute, not only to King, but to other black leaders as well. "It's a tribute, not only to [King], but to other black leaders, who made it possible for us to vote, to be at Penn," Sealy said. "It's [an inspiration] to continue the dream." In addition to the candlelight vigil last night, other events to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. include a program with Trans Africa founder Randall Robinson from 10 a.m. until 12 noon today at the Annenberg School Auditorium, and a reception at Phi Sigma Kappa from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. sponsored by the fraternity, the Gold Standard and the Black Student League. Students will also gather today at the Christian Association to make banners in honor of King from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The African-American Association Annual Commemorative Program honors King from noon until 2 p.m. today at the Penn Tower Hotel.

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