This year's theme is "Economic Justice" and celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg is planning a variety of events, presentations and exhibits in January to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year's theme is "Economic Justice" and celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
All activities are open to the public. The following programs have been scheduled at the college's Branchburg campus:
- Rhapsody in Black, Tuesday, Jan. 26, at noon and 7 p.m., Raritan Valley Community College Theatre.
Developed at NYC's Actors Studio with Estelle Parsons, Rhapsody in Black is a one-man show that explores LeLand Gantt's personal journey to understand and eventually transcend racism in America.
Audience members follow his spellbinding life story -- from an underprivileged childhood in the ghettos of McKeesport, Pa.; to teenage experiments with crime and drugs; to scholastic achievement and an acting career that lands adult LeLand in situations where he is virtually the only African-American in the room.
How he manages to cope with the various psychological effects of consistently being marked "The Other" is recounted in detail. Tickets cost $10 for the noon performance and $25 for the 7 p.m. show. Tickets are general admission seating. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the box office at 908-725-3420 or order online at www.rvccArts.org.
- Screenings of the film, SELMA, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 1 and 6 p.m., Conference Center (A, B & C).
Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant, making it very difficult for blacks to register to vote. As depicted in this recent feature film, in 1965 an Alabama city became the battleground in the fight for suffrage. Despite violent opposition, King and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, and their efforts culminated in President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Exhibit of Library Resources, Evelyn S. Field Library, on display throughout January and February.
- MLK Read-In, presented by the the college's Student Life Activities and Planning Board, Thursday, Jan. 21, 1-2:20 p.m., Conference Center (Rooms A, B & C).
Participants will share their favorite short readings and poems celebrating King's legacy. The event also will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which ended segregation in public transportation.
Raritan Valley Community College's main campus is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg.