United Afrikan American Men joined together to uplift the Black community at Grambling State University by enlightening the student body about current events in America concerning the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The men of UAAM held a seminar regarding Dr. King’s past and some of his most recent current events in the box office.
“Many Americans do not know Dr. King’s actual birthday is January 15, 2015 and not the reserved Monday in which we celebrate him,” said president the president of UAAM LaGregory Boley. “We want to give the student body a greater understanding of our history,” says Boley, a senior biology major from Monroe.
The young men worked up the courage to stand for Dr. King and give out very powerful information that everyone must know. Dr. King was more than a symbol for civil rights, he is the global activist for hope.
“Tonight I want to make sure the students understand that the Black freedom struggle was an incomplete struggle. Not merely because of King’s death in 1968, but because the nation enables African Americans to participate in the political structure of the country,” says Dr. Kevin Johnson, the guest speaker for the forum. It is Dr. Johnson’s is the assistant history professor, and it is his first year at Grambling.
In other words, African Americans obtained formal political equality. What was lacking was economic equality and equality of economic opportunity. And that is the reason why cities like Ferguson have erupted into unrest since the death of Mike Brown in August of this year,” finished Dr. Johnson. Dr. Johnson is also from Starkville, MS
Dr. Johnson also spoke about all of the criticism that the new movie Selma is getting.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was looked upon as a radical for the movement. From radical to main stream because the changes in the black freedom struggle. I think that a lot of white Americans are attacking the movie and it’s portrayal of Linden B. Johnson basically because this movie represents King’s radicalism and that this movie is made by African Americans,” says Dr. Johnson.
Few were in attendance, but the brothers of UAAM will further promote black history in the months to come with more informational forums.