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Why this year’s MLK tributes take on a new sense of urgency

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
People attend the March on Washington, Friday Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington, on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s

The political, racial, and public health turmoil of the past year has awakened more people to the nation’s disparities, giving today’s observances of Martin Luther King’s legacy special meaning, says the director of Northeastern’s Institute on Race and Justice. “It certainly does feel different,” says Jack McDevitt, professor of the practice in criminology and criminal justice, and an author whose research has focused extensively on hate crime, racial profiling, and human trafficking.

Today at 3 p.m. ET, Northeastern will host an online event to mark the life of the civil rights leader whose words and actions have inspired countless people across generations to fight for equality, civil rights, and justice for all. Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, will lead the celebration of Dr. King’s legacy and will be joined by faculty colleagues and students for conversations and performances during the Facebook Live event.

The event’s theme will be inspired by the phrase “good trouble,” famously coined by the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis—whose life and work made a lasting mark on the civil rights movement, sparked meaningful action and change in the name of justice, and contributed to progress across the nation.

Continue reading at News@Northeastern.

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