Pitt's Black Action Society to Honor Martin Luther King Jr. At the William Pitt Union Jan. 20

January 15, 2003

PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh Black Action Society (BAS) will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday starting at 9 a.m. Jan 20 in the William Pitt Union, 3959 Fifth Ave., Oakland.

Aimed at participants of all ages, events scheduled throughout the day include interactive seminars, discussions, and a movie honoring King and his civil rights legacy.

BAS will teach civil rights era songs to elementary aged children during the day's first event. Middle and high school students will participate in an interactive forum led by activist group Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD). SOSAD will examine King's method of non-violent conflict resolution and apply it to contemporary issues facing students.

After lunch, BAS members in a "Four-Point Teach-in" will examine King's dialogue and speeches. The analysis will seek to focus on four central themes taken from King's famed oratory repertoire.

At 2:30 p.m., BAS presents "At the River I Stand," a documentary detailing the two months preceding King's death in 1968.

Released just one year later, the film reconstructs King's struggle to maintain a unified, non-violent strategy in the face of economic hardship and rising racial tensions.

Student group SANKOFA will then lead a reflective discussion connecting the issues observed in the 58-minute film with topics of separation and unity on college campuses today.

For more information, call BAS at 412-648-7880.

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