Guest Writer: Alexander Rusek
On January 20, 2025, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan packed the Lansing Center for its 40th Day of Celebration. Held at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing overlooking the Grand River, the Day of Celebration was opened by the Detroit Children’s Choir’s inspiring rendition of Circle of Life from the Lion King and remarks from local leaders. This year’s guest speaker was minister, educator, and lecturer Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr.
Dr. Lafeyette is a co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1960 and led the organization through historic sit-in protests in Tennessee. Not satisfied, Dr. Lafeyette went on to participate in the Freedom Rides, the Selma Voting Rights Movement, the Poor People’s Campaign, and efforts to enact the Voter Rights Act of 1965, amongst his many other accomplishments.
“Dr. LaFayette embodies the principles of courage, resilience, and nonviolence that defined the Civil Rights Movement,” said Elaine Hardy, chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan. “His voice and vision are exactly what we need as we commemorate 40 incredible years of this event and recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of building a just and equitable society.”
