In celebration of MLK Day, honoring the birth of the late Martin Luther King Jr., the Eugene-Springfield chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will be hosting the annual MLK Jr. Community March on Monday, Jan. 21.

The University of Oregon’s Division of Equity and Inclusion will be hosting a pre-rally at the north gate of Autzen Stadium, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Afterwards, participants will march to the Shedd Institute of Art on the corner of Broadway and High Street to hear speeches from well-known community members, including congressman Peter Defazio and UO president Michael Schill, among others.

According to Isis Barone, NAACP office manager, the NAACP has hosted the event since 1987 in partnership with Lane Community College.

“The African-American struggle for dignity and equality is quintessential to the American dream,” Barone said. “In these political times this is a unifying day where we recommit to working for a dignified and just society.”

This year, the march will be highlighting the voices of women and youth, as well as environmental justice.

“We will focus on excellence in our community with an urgency on environmental and climate justice,” Barone said. “The importance of arts will also be represented with a performance from the Eugene Symphony music director, Francesco Lecce-Chong.”

Lecce-Chong, who will be performing music by Mozart and African American composer William Grant Still, will be accompanied by violinist Anthony Dyer, also from the Eugene Symphony. He will introduce introduce the works and briefly touch on MLK Jr’s thoughts on the power of music.

“Dr. King’s legacy continues to inspire the best in all of us and he did so not only through words and actions, but also through music,” Lecce-Chong said. “That is why I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to honor him through my work.”

Our Children’s Trust, a nonprofit organization known for advocating for the right to a stable climate, will be co-hosting the event. Dylan Plummer, Recent UO graduate and grassroots organizer for OCT, believes that the fight for environmental justice has much in common with the civil rights MLK Jr. was known for championing.

“King’s work for social justice has influenced our nation and the world tremendously,” Plummer said. “But we all have a responsibility to continue his legacy and fight for equal rights.”

UO president Schill is expected to speak about the work on the UO Black Cultural Center expected to open in fall of 2019.