Provoking, poignant, powerful, and polished—four adjectives that describe the presentation delivered by the Black Awareness Club to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. on Tuesday, January 23.

As the audience entered the darkened theatre, Michael Jackson’s video, “They Don’t Care about Us,” was playing on the big screen. Some of the images were upsetting and uncomfortable, showing a time in America’s history that many would rather forget, but they definitely caught the audience’s attention. What followed was a deliberate mix of education and hard facts, artistry and performance, fear and hope.

The BAC started off with a comparison between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. They shared common goals—equality and an end to the injustice suffered by black people—and highlighted their different methods—MLK’s non-violent opposition versus Malcolm X’s “an eye for an eye” mentality.

The students used monologues, songs, original poems, and video clips to show the progression of the civil rights movement from the 1960s through the present, including the Black Lives Matter movement.

Thanks to the members of the Black Awareness Club, a student-run organization, for the tremendous amount of thought and effort they put into this presentation.

We hope you enjoy the highlight video! >