August 28, 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, which was delivered before the Lincoln Memorial as the keynote address of the 1963 March on Washington, D.C. for Civil Rights. Princeton University encourages its community and others to reflect upon King's life, legacy and charge to Americans to help humanity evolve. In the famous speech, King said:
We've come to our nation's capital to cash a check....We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now.
Commemorating the Day
Beginning in January 2017 Princeton University added Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to the University calendar as a recognized University holiday thereby closing the campus. To commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. university community members are encouraged to participate in service programs. The Pace Center's Month of Service initiative offers a variety of options for faculty, staff, and students alike.
In addition, we encourage members of the Princeton community to participate in the programming taking place at the Arts Council of Princeton. The Paul Robeson Center for the Arts is located at 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ.