Davis, a famous political activist, kicked off the University’s week-long celebration of King’s legacy in a standing-room only presentation. UNC has celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day for 32 years, led by the Department of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs’ MLK Celebration Committee.
Davis said King’s messages can be applied today, nearly half a century after his death. She referenced the national riots following the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, both unarmed black men, at the hands of police.
“Because of the events of the past six months or so, with the killing of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, there is a context to this year’s observance of Martin Luther King day,” Davis said.
“Last summer in Ferguson, in New York, in Chicago, and other places all over the world, people took to the streets with their hands up, shouting ‘No justice, no peace.’ We take the streets to make sure change is on the agenda.”
Much like King united people in the Civil Rights Movement, Davis said people today are still uniting to end violence.
“These weren’t the only killings of young black men and women. If you did the research, you would come up with countless others subject to racist police violence,” she said. “We all saw the footage of Eric Garner wrestled to the ground. Now people all over the world say ‘I can’t breathe.’”
Davis said ending racism could be possible by focusing on structural racism rather than individuals. She said this can be achieved by small movements rather than large uprisings.
“If we focus only on individuals, you forget the big picture of racism and structuralism.”
