Salem State To Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have A Dream'

SALEM, MA — Salem State University's 33rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. will include two days of remembrances and celebrations of King's legacy — including a keynote speech from activist, educator and author Dr. Mary Frances Berry.

Her address will be part of a day on campus dedicated to honoring the 60th anniversary of King's "I Have A Dream" speech.

Berry was a member of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission for 24 years, including 11 as its chairperson. She was one of the founders of the Free South Africa Movement and was bestowed the Nelson Mandela Award for her role in raising global awareness of South African apartheid.

She was also the assistant Secretary for Education in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare and served in four presidential administrations.

Berry will give her address during the convocation from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Jan .23 at Veterans Hall at the Ellison Campus Center at SSU. The event is free and open to the public.

Her speech will be part of two days of events to honor Martin Luther King Jr. with an MLK candlelight vigil and freedom march the day before, the annual MLK Leadership Awards, a Racial Justice Writing Contest for students and an MLK writing contest for Salem Public Schools students.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)