Sacramento State students reflect on historic MLK speech at campus
SACRAMENTO — Some 7,000 people turned out 56 years ago this Monday to watch Martin Luther King, Jr. speak on the campus of Sacramento State University.
It's a gathering that would go down in history as the only time the civil rights icon spoke on a CSU campus.
Dr. Marcellene Watson-Derbigny, the associate vice president of student retention, reflected on the milestone moment for the university.
"He spoke and gave a rousing address to Sacramento State, the only campus in the CSU to host Dr. King while he was alive," Watson-Derbigny said. "Dr. King spoke at a time where there were differing viewpoints on the Vietnam War and political aspects happening at that time."
The message he shared on October 16, 1967, is still relevant for students continuing to further his legacy with a student center that bears his name.
"In Dr. King fashion, he always inspired us to move forward and continue the dreams of our community members," Watson-Derbigny said.
Those dreams are evident on the walls of the MLK Center on the Sacramento State campus where photos of past organization leaders hang on the wall. African Americans were fighting for the right to pursue higher education at the time MLK spoke on campus.
Kaifa Yates, the program coordinator of the MLK Center, said the goal of the center is to give African American students a sense of community and important resources to succeed.
"We also do mental wellness where we talk about anxiety and stress, especially when it comes to midterms and finals," Yates said.
The center opened eight years ago and recently celebrated the expansion of two new study centers. In addition to giving students a space for academic success, they also give them a chance to meet and connect with fellow students.
"I wanted to be a part of the center to really build that foundation in the community," said Sabrina Charleston, a junior and MLK Center worker. "Especially for students, just getting them the resources they need, building the community, engaging with them."
Over the years, they have helped thousands of students and plan to continue outreach efforts with the goal of retaining more students and helping graduation rates among African Americans. Those are aspirations Dr. King spoke about on campus 56 years ago.
"I think it's very important, especially as a Black individual, to have someone like him to come and affirm that we do belong, especially at Sac State, [it] is important," said MLK Center worker Leila Cormier-Pajaud.
You can learn more about the MLK Center here.