Students Share Dreams at King Memorial Service

Harvard honored the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Monday at a packed Memorial Church service featuring songs, readings and an address by the first black female professor ever tenured by Harvard Law School.

As the University and the nation took the day off from work to celebrate King’s 74th birthday, about 200 community members gathered to reflect on the relevance of King’s message to today’s political environment.

In a nod to King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, those in attendance were invited to write their own dreams on a card inserted into each program, which were read during the service.

Many messages reflected current world issues, with calls for disarmament, peace and an end to the global AIDS epidemic, while others noted continuing racial inequality in America amid controversies over affirmative action in education and Sen. Trent Lott’s past support of segregation.

S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, stressed the relevance of King’s message today.

“What you will hear will be the words of wisdom from the father of social justice...a message to rededicate ourselves to his principles and to the alleviation of human suffering,” Counter said.

Boskey Professor of Law Lani Guinier—who joined the Law School faculty in 1998, five years after President Bill Clinton tried to appoint her assistant attorney general for civil rights—gave the keynote address.

“I seek to discuss Martin Luther King Jr. not as a dreamer, or even a visionary, not as an advocate of colorblindness, but as an activist who pursued a methodology in which his vision of justice for blacks was animated by a vision of justice for all,” she said.

Guinier, who spoke extemporaneously, used the metaphor of “the miner’s canary,” discussed in her recent book by the same name, to describe the black experience in America. Coal miners used to bring the songbird into the mines to measure the level of toxicity in the atmosphere. The failure of a canary’s fragile respiratory system signaled danger to the miners.

“What happens to the canary first will ultimately affect us all,” Guinier said. “The canary should not be pathologized or stigmatized, but [should] act as a way to open up conversation about issues.”

After ushers collected cards from audience members, Catherine A. Honeyman ’04 and Victor D. Ban ’04 shared several selected “Dreams of the People” with the audience.

“I dream that regardless of class or race, an individual will not feel inhibited but empowered by any situation they face,” read one card.

“I dream that people will realize our only real security lies in individual rights and justice for everyone,” read another card.

“I dream that there will be no more bad guys,” shared a six-year-old attendee.

After several “dreams” were read, Black Students Association (BSA) President Charles M. Moore ’04 read King’s 1968 essay, “A Testament of Hope.”

The Kuumba Singers performed twice during the service, receiving a standing ovation after their second song.

“The music is always symbolic of struggle and hope,” said Kuumba member Jennifer S. Leath ’03. “Martin Luther King’s vision is very important to Kuumba’s vision and to the black experience.”

As Kuumba returned to their seats, Shankar A. Nair ’05 and Julia B. Appel ’04 read more “Dreams of the People” to the audience.

The Harvard Foundation sponsored an open reception in the Church’s Buttrick Room after the service, allowing community members to reflect on the service and King’s vision.

David L. Evans, a senior officer in the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, said he was pleased by what he thought was the “largest attendance” in the history of the annual service.

“I have been an advisor to the Harvard Foundation since its inception and nothing gratifies me more than when the Foundation is able to bring together a group as diverse as attended today,” Evans said.

Zachary D. Raynor ’05 said he saw the service as a “way to show respect” to King.

Caleb I. Franklin ’04 agreed. “Martin Luther King was an amazing man, and to celebrate him is to really celebrate all of us,” he said.

Counter’s 10-year-old daughter Olivia said she enjoyed the service. Though her dream was not read aloud during the service, Olivia said she hoped for “a cure for every disease, and that people will have a place to stay and will be healthy.”

“Martin Luther King was a very important person,” Olivia said earnestly.

University President Lawrence H. Summers did not attend Monday’s service, but Counter read a statement he wrote for the occasion.

Summers’ statement urged the audience to “keep King’s message and spirit alive, hoping that one day people will be able to walk together peacefully.”

Counter credited the service’s execution to the “dedication” of the 13 student planners, and the efforts of the United Ministry, Memorial Church, the Harvard Foundation and the BSA.

—Staff writer Kristi L. Jobson can be reached at jobson@fas.harvard.edu.