Author, philosopher and 2024 independent presidential candidate Cornel West will visit Western Michigan University on Monday, where he will give the keynote speech for this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration.
The free event will be held at WMU’s Miller Auditorium at 6 p.m. The theme will be “moral courage,” according to Sherrie Fuller, the chair of the Celebration Committee.
Fuller said West’s message is a perfect fit for the event, as moral courage was one of the core tenets of King’s activism.
“That was one of the things that he was most known for, is being able to have moral courage to face mobs, to face scrutiny, to face discrimination, to face violence," Fuller said.
"Understanding that, 'if this is something that I truly believe in, I have to have the courage to withstand all those things.'"
Fuller added that she hopes attendees will learn from West's speech.
“I'm hoping that people will understand that if we're in a boat in the middle of an ocean, it doesn't really matter your political background, it doesn't matter your religious background. We just want safety. And so if we're all on the boat together, then we have to find a way to get to safe shores.”
Before the speech, WMU’s Walker Institute will host three teach-in sessions at Sangren Hall from 1 to 4:30 pm.
The sessions will focus on topics ranging from restorative justice for the formerly incarcerated to the women of the civil rights movement, including some lesser-known organizers who played important roles.
A student panel will include a guest from the University of Illinois Chicago: Black Studies, Criminology and Law and Justice scholar David Stovall.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
