The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Office of Multicultural Affairs, in partnership with Student and Family Engagement and Mocs Dining, will host a commemorative brunch to celebrate the 12th UTC MLK Day celebration, “Remembering the Past and Embracing the Future.”
Panelists Dr. Michael Williams and Elijah Cameron will reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his lasting impact on the Chattanooga community at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, in the University Center Tennessee Room.
Producer and community advocate Nicole Brown will serve as the event moderator.
All guests are required to RSVP. UTC campus employees and students should register here.
Williams, who joined UTC in August 2024, is the director of the UTC Africana Studies program, which is offered as a minor. He also teaches courses in the Department of History.
Before coming to UTC, Williams was a history professor and director of the African American Studies program at the University of Texas at El Paso. He previously served as dean of the Division of Social Sciences at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, and was on the history faculty at Mississippi State University.
Williams earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Mississippi.
Cameron has spent his career working to support community development and engagement. His experience includes roles as executive director of the M L King Development Corporation and business development manager for Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise. He has also served in leadership roles for the River City March of Dimes, the Chattanooga Multicultural Chamber of Commerce and the UTC Chancellor’s Roundtable.
A graduate of Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas, he also pursued a business administration degree at East Texas State University—now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Chris Stokes, assistant director of Multicultural Affairs at UTC, said the brunch will open meaningful dialogue about King’s local legacy.
“Both panelists are encouraged to share historical perspectives academically and anecdotally about his presence, influence and connections he had in the Chattanooga area,” he said. “Hopefully, this will shed light on the legacy and future impact his work does and will have on our community.”
The University will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, to observe MLK Day.
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UTC MLK Day 2025 Commemorative Brunch
