MLK Keynote Address: Derrick Ashong
Monday, January 16, 10:00am
Emory & Henry College will highlight the impact of music on the Civil Rights Movement and other significant events in black history at the college’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration on Jan. 15-16.
As its keynote speaker for the celebration, Emory & Henry will welcome musician, social entrepreneur, and radio/television host Derrick Ashong, who will emphasize the theme of the annual E&H Martin Luther King Day Celebration: "One Song. Many Voices: The power of music in times of social unrest."
Ashong has quickly become the voice of a new generation, and his keynote address “The Voices and Dreams of a New Generation” will touch on the power of music, and how music and other forms of communication have the power to affect social change.
The event will kick-off Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with a special concert in the E&H Memorial Chapel. The concert, “One Song, Many Voices” will feature a variety of music from the African-American tradition including spiritual, gospel, jazz, blues and bluegrass.
The celebration will continue Monday beginning at 10 a.m. with the keynote address by Ashong, who has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and lectured on five continents about the use of media as a tool for human development. Ashong is the television host of the show “The Stream.” He also hosts the weekly “The Derrick Ashong Experience” radio program on Saturdays from noon – 3 p.m. ET on Oprah Radio, XM 111/Sirius 204 and Oprah.com.
Ashong is a musician, and in 2007 he was awarded the top prize in Billboard Magazine’s World Song Writing Competition. His band, Soulfege is a critically-acclaimed, refreshingly original group of musicians who blend hip-hop, reggae, funk, world beat and West African Highlife music into a form that VanityFair.com has called “a spirit of promise and hope and harmony.”
Following Ashong’s speech, several small breakout discussions will take place. The theme for this year’s breakout sessions is “i am the song for all the people…”, and presenters for each group will discuss the specific role different genres of music have played on black history. These one-hour conversations will begin at 11:30 a.m. at various locations around campus. Starting at 2 p.m. keynote speaker Derrick Ashong will host his own one hour breakout session in McGlothlin-Street Hall in room 102.
The keynote address will also be broadcasted live on 90.7 FM WEHC.
Complete Schedule of MLK Day Related Events:
Saturday, Jan. 14
» Day of Service – Second Annual Souper Bowl Food Drive benefiting Feeding America Southwest Virginia. Food bins will be placed in the Van Dyke Center, Martin-Brock Student Center, King Center, Wiley Hall, McGlothlin-Street Hall, Kelly Library and the Memorial Chapel.
Sunday, Jan. 15
» Concert: One Song, Many Voices - 7:30 p.m., Memorial Chapel.
Monday, Jan. 16
» Keynote Address: "The voices and Dreams of a New Generation " Derick N. Ashong - 10 a.m. Memorial Chapel
» MLK Morning Breakout Events - 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., various locations.
» Celebration Lunch - 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., Van Dyke Hall
» MLK Event Breakout Session with Derrick Ashong - 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., M-S Hall 102
» MLK Day Celebration Dinner* - 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., Van Dyke Hall
»Slam Poetry Performance – The Mayhem Poets - 7:30 p.m., Wiley Auditorium
Download schedule
For more information about events included in the 2012 Martin Luther King Day Celebration please contact Mary K. Briggs at 276-944-6836 or at mkbriggs@ehc.edu.
*An additional cost will occur for community members who wish to attend.
