In honor of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., students and the community gathered in Emens Auditorium Tuesday night to hear the words of his daughter, Rev. Bernice King, as well as the songs of Ball State's Voices of Triumph Gospel Choir.
The audience cheered and clapped as King spoke about issues concerning the today's leaders and the degree integrity, commitment and courage people face in modern times.
"There are too many silent, good people in the world who are scared of taking chances," King said. "They are afraid of losing relationships, reputations, or afraid of being alienated."
The event was sponsored by the Multicultural Center with help of volunteers and donations from on-campus affiliations, said DeRick Virgil, the director of the Office of Multicultural Events and chairperson of the event.
King's speech was preceeded by a unity march to Emens from LaFollette concourse.
President Blaine Brownell helped celebrate MLK Day alongside the marchers, whose songs rang down McKinley Avenue. "We still have inequality and injustice," Brownell said. "We still have a long way to go, but let us recognize that what we have with us is a revolution in our lifetime that has made our nation great." King spoke about the importance of challenge in young people's lives. She said young people are too preoccupied with themselves. The audience answered her sentiment with cheers and applause. "I would like to issue you a challenge," King said. "There are some people who feel (that) by coming together we can make strides. While we agree that it is critical and important to come together physically, it is even more important that we connect heart to heart." King also reinforced many of her father's ideas while interweaving her own thoughts of today. "My father ... said the goal of true education is intelligence plus character," she said. "The making of a great leader is that MLK epitomizes; perhaps the best is that of integrity. "The ultimate measure of a person is really not where they stand in times of comfort and convenience, but in times of challenge."
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