Civil rights activist Diane Nash, a former Freedom Rider, is Denison's 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation speaker.

Each year Denison University honors the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with events that revolve around a central theme. This year’s theme, “Harvesting the Dream: All Hands on the Freedom Plow,” is a challenge to promote, encourage and implement change throughout the Denison and global communities. The following events are free and open to the public.

• Convocation, “Harvesting the Dream: All Hands on the Freedom Plow,” at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 24, in Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). Diane Nash, award-winning veteran civil rights activist and co-founder of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) will be joined by two distinguished panelists, author Bakari Kitwana, and Amy Lazarus, executive director of Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN), to discuss the theme and to explore the meaning of change-making and social justice innovation in the 21st century.

• Library reception at 3:30 p.m., on Monday, Jan. 24, in the William Howard Doane Library (400 West Loop). The reception, which will directly follow the convocation, will feature various exhibitions focusing on social injustice.

• Film screening of “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25, in Slayter Auditorium (200 Ridge Road). The award-winning film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he leaves his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the film, author Bakari Kitwana, along with co-producer Hana Siddiqi, Hamza Perez and other panelists will lead a town hall discussion that examines the intersection of religion, government, race, ethnicity, hip-hop, gender and the future of our democracy.

• Multi-religious program at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27, in Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). The program will honor King’s worldwide impact on many societies and cultures, and celebrate the values in different faith traditions that are consistent with Dr. King’s life and legacy. It will feature prose, poetry and music by Denison student groups and guest religious groups.

Use this link to visit the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs official 2011 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration website, “Harvesting the Dream: All Hands on the Freedom Plow.”