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Army Veteran and Advocate to Keynote 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemoration
Yale University's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemoration will feature a keynote speech by U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings
Press release
Army Veteran and Advocate to Keynote 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemoration
Yale University’s 2026 commemoration of the late civil rights leader, featuring a keynote address by Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings, will highlight the spirit of service at the university and New Haven and provide an opportunity for education and unity.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. January 20, 2026 – Yale University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemoration will feature a keynote speech by U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings, a veteran, advocate, and storyteller.
The event, which honors King’s life, vision, and enduring challenge to pursue justice through shared understanding and service, will be held at 6 p.m. on January 29 at Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall (1 Prospect St., New Haven). The campus commemoration continues a university tradition of honoring the late civil rights leader, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Yale in 1964.
During a 25-year military career, Cummings held leadership posts at Georgetown University’s Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program, the Pentagon, and the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)/U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM). She was instrumental in securing recognition for the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the first all-Black, all-woman battalion deployed overseas during World War II — including work on the documentary film “The Six Triple Eight.” In 2022 the battalion received a Congressional Gold Medal.
“I am honored and humbled to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with the Yale and New Haven communities,” Cummings said.
Following her keynote, Cummings will be joined in conversation by Babz Rawls-Ivy, a New Haven-based journalist, community leader, and host of the radio show LoveBabz LoveTALK, for a discussion on how we “repair the record and build belonging.”
“Dr. King taught us that justice is not only something we demand, but also something we practice together,” said Babz Rawls-Ivy. “Colonel Edna Cummings reminds us that history is not complete until every voice is heard…This conversation is about belonging, courage, and the responsibility we all share to carry our stories forward.”
The event is presented by the 2026 Yale & New Haven MLK Commemoration Committee, the Yale Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life, and the Yale College Dean’s Office in collaboration with Yale Schwarzman Center.
