FSU's MLK Week - Home

FSU's 37th Annual MLK Week: January 14-25, 2025

Florida State University's MLK Week has celebrated the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for more than three decades. The week of events across campus aligns with Dr. King's birthday on Jan. 15 and the federal holiday observed on the third Monday of the month. In addition to the week's speakers, performances, dialogues and other events, FSU honors Dr. King's legacy with the presentation of the MLK Distinguished Service Award for faculty and staff and the MLK Book Stipend for current students. The goal of the week is to bring the FSU and Tallahassee communities together to reflect on the past and support one another to engage in creating social justice and advocating for the civil rights of all.

The Framework Behind the Movement

The goal of the week is to bring the FSU and Tallahassee communities together to reflect on the past and support one another to engage in creating social justice and advocating for the civil rights of all. The celebration highlights Dr. King’s framework for social justice through the Six Principles of Nonviolence. Created by Dr. King, these principles were institutionalized and strengthened by Coretta Scott King’s continued social justice advocacy and the monumental development of the King Center. We encourage you to reflect on each of these Six Principles of Nonviolence as we move through the week and think about how we as a community can do the work of equity for equality.

Six Principles of Nonviolence

  1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
  2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
  3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
  4. Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate and transform people and societies.
  5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
  6. Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

 

Tuesday, January 14: United We Influence

 MLK Awards and the Golden Torch Lecture Series Present Ziwe Fumudoh

Doors: 5 p.m. Event: 5:30 p.m. |  Ruby Diamond Theater | Free to the public

Enjoy a night to honor FSU community members, featuring a performance by the FSU Gospel Choir and Dance Ensemble, and an engaging conversation with keynote speaker, Ziwe Fumudoh. This opening ceremony to FSU's 37th Annual MLK Week is one you won't want to miss! Register for this event at tickets.fsu.edu

About the Keynote Speaker: Ziwe Fumudoh is a Nigerian-American author and comedian known for her satirical commentary on politics and race relations. Fumudoh is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she studied radio, television, film and African American studies. In 2017, Fumudoh created Baited with Ziwe, a show on YouTube that, in her own words, “allows viewers to laugh about race while still acknowledging its complexity.” In October 2020, the first season of Ziwe, Fumudoh's variety show on Showtime, was announced. Its six episodes featured sketches, musical numbers and interviews with celebrity guests including Fran Lebowitz, Bowen Yang, Phoebe Bridgers, Julio Torres, and Stacey Abrams. Most recently, in October of 2023, Ziwe published her New York Times bestseller collection of essays, Black Friend. Throughout the collection, Ziwe mixes big-picture concepts with pop-culture commentary while sharing her own personal life story.

This event focuses on the First Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.

Thursday, January 16: United We Reflect

 Reflection Station with Seminole Dining 

12-2 p.m. |  Seminole Cafe

Enjoy one of Dr. King's favorite desserts, peach cobbler, as you take a moment to reflect on one of his widely known quotes: "The time is always right, to do what is right," at the Reflection Station.

This event focuses on the Sixth Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

Monday, January 20: United We Serve

 Community Service with Engage TLH

All Week | Tallahassee

Find a community service project with Engage TLH! Volunteer for service sites throughout the Tallahassee area in honor of Dr. King's legacy and commitment to serving our communities. Volunteers will be able to sign up for engagement opportunities via the Engage TLH portal. Sign up here https://apps.its.fsu.edu/EngageTLH/listings/.

This event focuses on the Fifth Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence uses love instead of hate.

Wednesday, January 22: United We Advocate

 Kemba Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Criminal Justice Reform and Advocacy

Doors: 4 p.m. Film: 5 p.m.  |  Askew Student Life Cinema

Join us for an evening of reflection and advocacy with a special film screening of Kemba, based on the true story of panelist member Kemba Smith Pradia. Following the screening, a discussion of the criminal justice system will be led by Kemba, Dean Glenda Thornton (College of Law), and members of the FSU NAACP, the Innocence Project of Florida, and FSU Counseling and Psychological Services.  Sponsored by the College of Communication & Information, the Kappa Epsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the Department of Student Engagement.

About the movie: Kemba is based on the true story of Kemba Smith, a college student who falls for Khalif, a man who turns out to be a drug kingpin. As he becomes abusive, Kemba is unknowingly drawn into his criminal world. Despite never doing or handling drugs herself, Kemba is sentenced to a lengthy prison term for her boyfriend's crimes, caught in the government's "war on drugs." With the support of her parents, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Black civic organizations and lawmakers, Kemba fights for clemency and freedom.

This event focuses on the Third Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.

Thursday, January 23: United We Celebrate

  Block Party

 5-7 p.m. | Student Union Green

Join us for a lively community block party to close out MLK Week! Enjoy an afternoon filled with food, music, and activities that celebrate unity and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Stop by student org tables to fill out your passport or add notes to the interactive MLK mural.

  Performing Arts Showcase

7:30-9 p.m. | Moore Auditorium

Get ready to see performances from FSU student and community organizations! More information to come. 

This event focuses on the Second Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.

Saturday, January 25: United We Educate

 Memories of a Living King hosted by Florida State University's Civil Rights Institute

 6-8 p.m. | FSU Alumni Center, 1030 West Tennessee Street

Florida State University’s Civil Rights Institute will host the second annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration titled “Memories of A Living King”. This year’s event honors the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a unique blend of art, performance, and community engagement, with the following objectives: memorialize Dr. King's contributions to the global community, educate and demonstrate the American Civil Rights Movement through the arts, and garner broad community input into the strategic direction of the FSU Civil Rights Institute.

This event focuses on the Fourth Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate and transform people and societies.