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For over 10 years the faculty and students at Villanova University have conducted an annual tribute to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During the week of Jan. 20, the University commemorated King’s work with a variety of speakers and events. Over the course of the week, the Freedom School lectures characteristically solicited the most involvement from students and faculty.

On Jan. 22, there were 24 Freedom School Lectures held in various rooms in the Connelly Center. The lectures covered a variety of race-related topics, from AIDS to sports. Professors and guest speakers, including one undergraduate student, filled the day with interesting and diverse talks. There were six sessions occurring simultaneously at four different times throughout the day, starting at 10:30 a.m., with the last session ending at 4 p.m.

Among the lectures one was titled “The Freedom Fighters of Jazz.” Dr. Timothy Horner shared his knowledge and love of jazz and its musicians as he paid tribute to the freedom that the jazz musician of the 1950s and 60s gained. He defined a freedom fighter as someone with a cause who knows what freedom is and is not, and most importantly, is willing to fight for it. He went on to explore the history of jazz and to specifically discuss musicians and the freedoms they had won, as they proved that music was more important than the color of anyone’s skin.

Dr. Rick Eckstein, of the sociology department, delivered a lecture on “Racism and War,” that encompassed the many ways that racism and war are intertwined. Eckstein discussed racism as reflected in the policies of our country. He went on to discuss how during war time, racism is formed by the utilization of negative stereotypes to demonize enemies.

One of the afternoon lectures featured Thomas Mogan, director of Student Development, who spoke on the topic of “The Legacy of Athletes and the Civil Rights Movement”. He concentrated mostly on the obvious impact of Jackie Robinson, as well as the impression of the outspoken Muhammad Ali. He highlighted the integration of African-Americans into various professional collegiate and professional sports, and even offered some history of the Villanova-Temple rivalry (racially speaking). Mogan concluded with the controversial topic of the outspokenness of African-American athletes today, and the concept of “deracialization”.

Also during the afternoon session, student Rochelle Davidson ’04 led a presentation titled “HIV & AIDS: New Social Apartheid in South Africa.” Davidson has traveled to South Africa twice, first to study and then to volunteer. While there, she was shocked by the startling realities of the African AIDS epidemic. She facilitated a discussion about varying aspects of the problem, and encouraged students to get involved in this “war against humanity.”