The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s MLK Week celebration will feature a keynote address by Olympic gold medalist and civil rights icon Tommie Smith.
The university will honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events Jan. 23-28. The week, which carries the theme “The fierce urgency of now,” will highlight the importance of social and racial advocacy, education and engagement. The celebration will offer events for students, faculty, staff and the Lincoln community.
Smith will speak during the MLK Commemorative Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 25 in the Nebraska Union’s Centennial Room. Registration is required by Jan. 20 at https://mlkweek.unl.edu The event is $25 per individual or $150 for a table of six. Husker students will be admitted free, though registration is required.
At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Smith won the 200-meter sprint final with a world record time of 19.83 seconds. As the national anthem played, he and bronze medalist John Carlos raised their fists to protest racism and injustice against Black people in the United States. The symbolic moment propelled Smith into the spotlight as a human rights advocate.
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(Photo courtesy of UNL )