The dream lives on

The
dream lives on

With a hundred
or so candles aglow, the Jan. 19 vigil celebrating the life
of Martin Luther King Jr. began on the Rice campus. Baker
College senior Johnathan Chism’s deep voice broke the
silence of the crisp, clear evening as he read King’s
famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Following the
reading, the crowd sang “We Shall Overcome” as
it made its way to the Rice Memorial Chapel, where Rice’s
Melodious Voices of Praise performed soulful selections.

Among
the speakers at the chapel was Rice President Malcolm Gillis,
who observed, “This year we commemorate four highly
significant anniversaries in American civil rights history:
First, the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;
second, the 40th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel
Prize for peace to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; third, the
50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education; and fourth,
the 75th anniversary of the birth of Dr. King.” In
a speech that emphasized the importance of maintaining and
expanding inclusiveness in education, the president said,
“By standing up for inclusiveness, we honor Dr. King
day by day, year by year.”