February 2, 2001 The Lion’s Eye Page 7 By ADAM WOJCIECHOWICZ Assistant Editor The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to the masses. The life and times of the Rev. Dr. King By JOSEPH CRISAFULLI IV Staff Writer We've all heard about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the legacy he left behind. But how much do we really know? : Not nearly enough, some say, consider- ing he is one of the most influential people of the 20th Century. Here's a brief look at the man who had a dream. On January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, Martin Luther King Jr. entered the world. As a child, King was always an over- achiever, and at 15, he enrolled at Morehouse College in Atlanta. His early interests were medicine and - law but decided in his senior year to enter the ministry. It was a goal his father had always encouraged. In 1948, King graduated with his B.A from Morehouse and then moved his way north to the Delaware Valley, where he studied for three years at the Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester. It was here King first became familiar with Mohondas Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. King took Gandhi’s philoso- phy to heart as seen from his own peaceful tactics and protests of the 1960s. King’s diligence as a scholar was demonstrated once again at the seminary as he was elected president of the student body and graduated having achieved the highest academic average in his entire class. After Crozer, King made his way to Boston University for graduate studies. It was in beantown that King met Corretta Scott, a student at the New England Some tips and helpful hints from bookstore czar B® Don’t wait until the last minute to try and get a refund on your books, bookstore man- ager urges. And don’t wait until mid-terms to buy your books. By STACEY LAWRENCE Staff Writer First and foremost: Bookstore employees are not responsible for book prices. The publishers give the bookstore, which is operated and owned by the Barnes and Noble Co., a list price. That's what the stu- dent pays. \ Renee Lutz, manager of the bookstore, says she tries to communicate with professors to get the best prices for students. Whew, with that out of the way, we can move on to three upcoming tips to make your trips to the bookstore a lot easier this year. The first deals with the Valentine’s Day sale. During the week of Feb. 12-16, there will be a 10 to 15 percent discount on Valentine Conservatory of Music. In 1953, the two married and eventual- ly had four children. In 1955 King earned his Ph.D. His doctoral dissertation was “A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman.” After each had finished their studies, the Kings moved to Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. King accepted a position as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. From here, the Kings fought for social change, influenced countless millions and pushed the civil rights movement ahead with such demonstrations as the famous | Montgomery bus boycott and the historic March on Washington. : On August 28, 1963, more than 200,000 people gathered by the Lincoln Memorial in peaceful protest for equal rights and heard Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. A year later, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On April 4, 1968, while in Memphis, Tennessee, supporting a strike by the city’s sanitation workers, King’s life ended abruptly. Dr. King was shot while standing on the balcony of the motel where he was staying. Almost one year later, James Earl Ray, who previously had multiple run-ins with the law, pleaded guilty to Dr. King’s assas- sination and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray died almost 30 years after his incarceration on April 23, 1998, from com- plications after liver failure. Congress voted to have a national day in the honor of King, which was first rec- ognized in 1986. If he was still alive, King would now be 72 years old. stuffed animals. The next tip on the agenda concerns those . [I students who have dropped a class — after they bought the books. As you probably know, the cutoff date for a full refund on books accompanied with a receipt was Jan. 18. If you have dropped a class since and need Photo courtesy of Life Magazine The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s unmistakable voice must have resounded throughout our nation many times during the week devoted to his memory and lega- cy. One such event took place on our campus, where professors reflected on the resonance of King’s voice and his message. Alex Thomson, a senior political sci- ence major at Penn State Delco and great admirer of King’s, hosted the video pre- sentation and discussion Jan. 18. “There are a lot of dynamics just because of the way he speaks,” said Thomson, as he played a few video seg- ments of the civil right’s leader talking to crowds of people. One a segment showed throngs of peo- ple gathered in Washington, D.C., for the now infamous “I Have a Dream” speech of 1063. Despite the agonizing heat on the mall that August and the eight hours of intro- ductory speakers, tears still flowed and the unrestrained cries of support still sounded. In this respect, the orator in King was just as much an integral part of his pres- ence as was the mind behind it. Despite our differences, Thomson said, “[Dr. King] stirs up something that is already in all of us.” In addition to Thomson’s insights, a discussion panel had been convened, con- sisting of both faculty and students with either a special insight or genuine admi- ration for King. The official panel included: Associate Professor of Religious Studies Dr. Bruce Stephens, Associate Professor of Urban Education Dr. Grace Stanford, and History Professor Mr. James Fox. All said they'd welcome any views on King or the voice to be reckoned with Photo courtesy of Life Magazine The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. walks with his family in 1964. to return your books, you need to have your original receipt and proof that you dropped the class. (The proof that you dropped the class can be obtained from Room 105 Main.) If you just have the receipt and no proof you dropped the class, you will receive a 75 percent refund. Without either the receipt or proof that you dropped the class, you will receive buy back value — which ranges wildly between zero and 50 percent. The cash you get back depends on the con- dition of the book, the demand for the book and whether or not the bookstore is even buy- ing back your edition of the book. The last reminder is for students who haven't even bought their books yet. Lutz's advice: “Buy your books before your midterms in March, because I will be returning them to the publishers.” Photo courtesy of Life Magazine The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attends a memorial service in 1965 for Rev. James Reeb, a white clergyman. from Boston who was killed by white thugs in Selma, Ala. civil rights movement. On a separate note, King’s ability to commiserate and connect with the com- mon citizen is one of his most outstand- ing gifts, professors agreed. _ “He was able to take the suffering of everyday people and give that suffering a voice,” said Stanford, when trying to put to words the elusive techniques that allowed for King’s success. “He had a vision, but he didn’t just let it sit inside of him. He empowered [the masses] to consider more the vision, the dream,” said Thomson. Perhaps inevitably in reflection, the concept of a savior comes to light. “The community of mankind was breaking apart,” said Stanford. She was first to voice the concept that rested somewhere in many people’s minds: “He is a Christ-like figure.” Certainly the leadership and the sac- rifice are there, and perhaps, if we look closely enough, the miracles are too. “I think that a lot of times we lose focus, looking at this great man,” said Thomson, referring to the hidden poten- tial in ourselves. “He wants us to [realize] I could do this.’ ...what I hope to do is to help people live that life — with passion.” Hours before his death, King told a crowd: “You havent lived until you've found something to die for.” And that he did, honorably, a victim and martyr of his own cause. ANTEIA CONSORTO Renee Lutz keeps busy on the phone ordering books and answering questions for students and professors.
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