Iowa State will remember an important historical figure this month with the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

King, who is remembered by many for his dedication to the fight for rights of the poor, disadvantaged and racially oppressed people, would be 68 years old Wednesday.

ISU will honor King with a two-week series of events, beginning Jan. 15.

Tomorrow night, King’s birthday, there will be a lecture by Iowa State’s fourth George Washington Carver visiting Scholar, J. Herman Blake. The lecture, called “Martin Luther King Jr.: Liberal Education and the Philosophy of Non-violence,” will begin at 8 p.m. in the South Ballroom of the Memorial Union.

On Jan. 17 at noon, there will be a concert in the South Ballroom of the Memorial Union by the Iowa State Jazz Choir and the Big Eight Gospel Choir.

A reception, complete with music and cake, will be held at noon on Jan. 21 to celebrate King’s birthday. The featured speaker for the celebration is Tin-Shi Tam, the Iowa State carilloneur. Tam will present her annual “Let Freedom Ring” concert following the reception.

Ames High School will host a citywide birthday party honoring King on Jan. 22. The party begins at 7 p.m. in the Ames Senior High School Auditorium, located at the corner of 20th St.reet and Ames High Drive. The party begins at 7 p.m. in the Ames High School Auditorium.

A forum will be held on Jan. 23 in the Maintenance Shop of the Union. The forum will be composed of several representatives of ISU student organizations.

Activities will conclude on Jan. 30 with a presentation by C.T. Vivian, activist and Baptist minister. His lecture is called “Creating a Civil Rights Movement for a New Century.”

Historical Background

* King is remembered for several key moments in American history including organizing the Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama in retaliation to Rosa Parks’ refusal to take a back seat on a public bus because of her race.

* In 1957, King, as a member of the clergy in Montgomery, led a non-violent Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The conference would become one of the focal points of King’s movement toward civil rights.

* King was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work involving the fight for civil rights.

* King was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn. Among the many famous words he uttered, King once said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The university will observe King’s birthday as a university holiday on Monday, Jan. 20. Classes will be canceled and business offices will be closed.