November 24, 1997

NAACP chair is featured speaker at UCSC's annual convocation honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Myrlie Evers-Williams

Myrlie Evers-Williams will deliver keynote address at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium on January 29

By Francine Tyler

Civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams will deliver the keynote speech at the 14th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation. The event, which has been held on the UC Santa Cruz campus in past years, will take place at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium on Thursday, January 29. It begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the general public. No tickets are required.

The annual convocation honors the legacy of Dr. King with music, welcome speeches, and a keynote address by a prominent figure. Evers-Williams is the chair of the national board of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, an associate of Dr. King.

The convocation takes place as the local chapter of the NAACP begins celebrating 50 years of service in Santa Cruz. In addition to UCSC, the local NAACP chapter and the city of Santa Cruz are cosponsoring the January 29 event.

"We are excited that the event will take place in downtown Santa Cruz," said M.R.C. Greenwood, chancellor of UCSC. "The Martin Luther King Jr. convocation is always a very special activity, and the setting for the upcoming one will provide a greater opportunity for dialogue with members of our local community about issues of great importance in our society."

For more information, access the convocation Web site at http://events.ucsc.edu/mlk98, send e-mail to mawolles@cats.ucsc.edu, or call the University Events Office at (408) 459-3861.

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