![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/218\/2022\/08\/MLK-speaker-Mary-Frances-Berry-portrait-400-wide.jpg\")
Dr. Mary Frances Berry<\/p><\/div>\n
Dr. Berry\u2019s talk, \u201cAchieving Diversity and Opportunity in the 21st Century: Now is the Time,\u201d is part of \u201cBuilding the Beloved Community,\u201d a series of events honoring MLK.<\/p>\n
The Community Breakfast featuring Berry is open to the public and is sponsored by Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives of Furman University\u2019s Student Life, and the Community Relations office. Tickets are $50 per person.<\/p>\n
For more than four decades, Berry has been recognized as one the most respected voices in our nation\u2019s civil rights, gender equality and social justice movements. Serving as Chairperson of the United States Civil Rights Commission, Berry led the charge for equal rights and liberties for all Americans over the course of four presidential administrations. A trailblazer for women and African Americans alike, she also became the first woman of any race to head a major research university, serving at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She now serves as professor of American Social thought at the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
One of the founders of the monumental Free South Africa Movement, Berry and her organization were instrumental in raising global awareness of South African injustice, helping to end over 40 years of apartheid. Berry also served as Assistant Secretary for Education in the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, working to make historically inequitable systems achieve new levels of fairness.<\/p>\n
A prolific author, Berry\u2019s books cover a wide range of subjects from the history of constitutional racism in America to the politics of parenthood. Her most recent book is Power in Words: The Stories behind Barack Obama\u2019s Speeches, from the State House to the White House<\/em>, which offers insight and historical context for President Obama\u2019s most memorable speeches.<\/p>\n Other Furman events commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. follow. All events are free and open to the public with the exception of the Jan. 13 Community Breakfast and the Jan. 29 Scholarship Gala.<\/p>\n MLK Day of Service, Monday, Jan. 16 \u201cBlack America Since MLK: And Still I Rise,\u201d Wednesday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. MLK Interfaith Celebration, Sunday, Jan. 22, 5 p.m. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Gala Sunday, Jan. 29, 3 p.m. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Program and Rudolph Gordon College Fair, Saturday, Feb. 4, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Joseph Vaughn Oratorical Contest, Saturday, Feb.18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For table or ticket information about the Community Breakfast featuring Dr. Mary Frances Berry, contact Chandra Dillard, chandra.dillard@furman.edu<\/a>, or 864-294-2503. More information about Furman University MLK events may be found at www.furman.edu\/MLK<\/a>, or contact Deborah Allen, deborah.allen@furman.edu<\/a>, 864-294-2267.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Author, educator and historian Dr. Mary Frances Berry will speak Friday, Jan. 13 during a Community Breakfast celebrating the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. The breakfast begins […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":257,"featured_media":16552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/257"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong>Watkins Room, Trone Student Center
\n8 a.m. check-in and breakfast
\n9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Community Projects at various venues
\nSponsor: Furman Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives in Student Life; Fraternity & Sorority Life; and Heller Service Corps
\nContact: Nancy Cooper, nancy.cooper@furman.edu<\/a>, 864-294-2900<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Burgiss Theatre, Trone Student Center
\nDocumentary and Panel Discussion
\nSponsor:\u00a0 The Urban League of the Upstate
\nContact: Deborah Allen, deborah.allen@furman.edu<\/a>, 864-294-2267<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Daniel Memorial Chapel
\nRev. Hannah Bonner (Class of 2008), proclaimer of justice, love and truth
\nMarlanda Dekine (Class of 2008), poet
\nContact: Maria Swearingen, maria.swearingen@furman.edu<\/a>, 864-294-2133<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Melvin and Dollie Younts Conference Center
\nSponsor: Alpha Phi Alpha Greenville Foundation, www.alphagreenville.org
\n<\/a>Tickets: $50 per person
\nContact: Allen Cook, mlkgala@alphagreenville.org<\/a>, or 864-380-5781<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Burgiss Theater and Watkins Room, Trone Student Center
\nSponsor: Alpha Phi Alpha Greenville Foundation, www.alphagreenville.org
\n<\/a>Contact: Bobby Clark, mlkfair@alphagreenville.org<\/a>, or 864-441-9067<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Burgiss Theater, Trone Student Center
\nSponsor: \u00a0Alpha Phi Alpha Greenville Foundation, www.alphagreenville.org
\n<\/a>Contact: Michael Chatman, voc@alphagreenville.org<\/a>, or 864-906-7078<\/p>\n