In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this day set aside to especially celebrate his life and legacy, Scarritt Bennett invites you to watch this recording of a conversation between Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Rev. Dr. Sondrea Tolbert, Executive Director of Scarritt Bennett Center, from April 2, 2024.
This conversation is a part of the Belle Harris Bennett Lecture Series, in honor of Scarritt Bennett’s Centennial Celebration, and took place in Wightman Chapel, 67 years after Rev. Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in Wightman on April 25, 1957.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s address was a part of the 1957 Conference on Christian Faith and Human Relations, an event hosted by Scarritt College and Vanderbilt School of Divinity, and co-sponsored by the Tennessee Council of Churches and the Fellowship of Christian Churchmen. His speech was entitled “The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation’s Chief Moral Dilemma”, which King characterized as systemic segregation based on racism, a blatant denial of our unity in Christ. He called the Church to take a stand. We are so thankful to Dr. Bernice A. King for sharing her own perspectives around transforming her father’s dream into a legacy, as well as her own continuing work in dismantling racism. We are honored to be able to share this recording with you, especially on this day as we reflect on the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and recommit ourselves to the work of equity and justice as we journey toward the Beloved Community.