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Echoes of Unity: Celebrating Black Voices and Legacies at UVA’s MLK Celebration
Students, faculty, and residents of the Charlottesville area crowded rooms and packed Paramount Theatre for the University of Virginia’s “Community MLK Celebration,” which began on the Jan. 15 federal holiday and continued throughout the month. In total, the University’s Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion held nine events, including a keynote co-hosted by the School of Data Science, that featured distinguished guest speakers and UVA graduates — all contributing to the profound legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by uplifting Black voices and stories.
The School of Engineering and Applied Science welcomed NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, a UVA alum, to celebrate his role in National Geographic’s upcoming documentary “The Space Race.”
The film tells the story of multiple Black astronauts and pioneers of the Space Age who, amid tensions between the United States and Russia to reach the stars, faced racial discrimination. “The Space Race” spotlights Black voices from the past and present, shining a light on a previously little-known history.
Following the screening, Melvin answered a variety of questions from curious attendees.
When a young audience member asked for advice, Melvin told the story of Curious George and his caretaker, the Man with the Yellow Hat. Melvin advised the questioner to always have your “Man with the Yellow Hat,” a friend who has your back through all of life’s adventures.
Melvin stayed long after the event to take pictures and speak with those who waited to meet him.
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Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center welcomed Margot Lee Shetterly, the New York Times-bestselling author of “Hidden Figures,” the critically acclaimed book that was adapted into a movie, which told the true story of Black female mathematicians whose work was critical to U.S. efforts during the space race. Shetterly received the 2023 Distinguished Alumna Award, which has been given to select individuals since 1991 to celebrate alumnae who have accomplished work that, “reflect(s) the spirit of excellence and the ethic of service for which a University of Virginia Education Stands.” (Women’s Center).
Shetterly is also founder of the Human Computer Project — an online database dedicated to documenting the stories of women who worked as human computers in the 20th century for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA. Shetterly is collaborating with Mar Hicks, associate professor of data science, and Ken Ono, professor of data science by courtesy on the project.
“We cannot allow fear to triumph over optimism,” said Shetterly in her opening remarks. She described the need to tell stories that give individuals the power to strive for a greater future.
Shetterly spoke of the challenges and successes of researching the prejudices faced by the incredible women of “Hidden Figures.” During a Q&A period, Shetterly revealed that during frustrating moments faced when working through challenges, such as researching her book, it is important to “find the people who believe in you.”
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The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion partnered with the School of Data Science to host the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II at the Paramount Theatre for a keynote event and book signing.
Barber is a social activist, author, professor, and pastor who holds a doctorate from Drew University. He is the president of Repairers of the Breach and co-chairs the Poor People’s Campaign.
Barber discussed poverty injustices, the civil rights movement, and King’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, among other topics, noting that “135 million Americans today suffer from poverty,” while that number stood at “40 million when Martin (Luther King Jr.) was alive.”
Barber concluded his speech by asking people of different races, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, disabilities, and genders to join him on stage and take his hand. Audience members banded together as one, representing Barber’s message that everyone is united.
“If the ‘we’ comes together, we can overcome pain, we can turn injustice into justice, we can turn meanness into love, we can turn wrong into right — but the ‘we’ has got to come together,” said Barber.
Photography by Alyssa Brown.
