Forty years ago, a preacher from Montgomery, Ala. spoke of a dream — a dream of equality for all classes and races — on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Jan. 20th marks a holiday that is dedicated solely to him and his beliefs.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is an American icon whose birth is a national holiday and cause for celebration.

On Friday at noon, Iowa State will celebrate the life and times of Martin Luther King Jr. as part of a week of events honoring Dr. King.

“The Martin Luther King celebration is a great time for us to look at our efforts of diversity,” says T.J. Schneider, student body president. “It is a time where we can go and take part in these events, be excited, and learn from it.”

Schneider, as well as Black Student Alliance president Brad Johnson and Provost Ben Allen, will be speaking at the celebration.

“[The celebration] is about honoring Dr. King and what he died for,” Johnson says.

Dr. King strived not only for racial equality, but for social class equality as well, he says.

“I will deliver highlights of Dr. King’s life and crusade, and show how far diversity has come since Dr. King’s time,” Johnson says.

Choral groups Shy of a Dozen and First Premiere will perform at the celebration.

A birthday cake donated by Campus Dining Services will be served in a reception following the event.

First Premiere, a student-run choral group, will also perform at the event.

“The group was started last semester as a venue for students that want to sing in different styles, from hip-hop to classical,” says Myron Batsa, First Premiere member.

The group is composed of 15-20 students, many of whom are African-American, but the group is not limited to only African-American students, says Batsa, GSB student diversity chair and junior in public services and administration in agriculture.

The group will perform empowerment songs at the celebration, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The song, written by James Weldon Johnson, is known as the African-American national anthem.

First Premiere’s repertoire is chosen by the students, Batsa says.

“We decide as a group,” Batsa says. “[The group chooses] whatever we feel sounds right and fits with the event.”

Schneider says he hopes that the audience will not only enjoy the celebration, but reflect on the ideas that Dr. King stood for.

“It is a good way for us to start off on the right foot and be thinking about [diversity] all semester,” Schneider says.

Schneider says he will focus his speech on Iowa State’s current diverse population and how GSB can work to improve that diversity.

“[My speech will] reinforce that we as students can benefit from the opportunity of being able to engage with other people,” Schneider says. “We can all learn from other people.”

Johnson says he hopes the event will start the semester off well and begin to prepare people for Black History Month in February.

“[Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday] makes everybody remember and get back into the mindframe [of diversity issues],” Johnson says. “But they should be thinking about it every day.”