January 18, 2021
Dear UM Family,
Today, as we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are called to recapture and advance Dr. King’s dream for our nation to “live out the true meaning of its creed.”
Dr. King and his work ask us to take an honest view of ourselves and our nation’s history as we seek to create a better, more equitable future. The deeply unsettling events we have witnessed in our country this past year remind us that we, as individuals and as a nation, must continue responding to Dr. King’s call to be courageously self-reflective and to commit ourselves to rooting out racism, bigotry and injustice in all its forms.
In the face of the work we have before us, I continue to have deep faith in the potential of the great “American experiment” boldly launched nearly 250 years ago. That faith is not blind – our institutions are far from perfect. That was true at the inception of this nation, as the founders of this country acknowledged the need “to form a more perfect Union.” It was true 87 years later when President Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg of the “unfinished work” before them. And it is true today.
Respectful discourse begins with a willingness to learn from one another, and I invite our community to learn alongside me. Here are just a few among many resources available through UM:
- Today, our men’s basketball team is installing a “” near the College of Education. In this Diversity Appreciation Library, you will find adult and children’s books that provide perspectives on racism and promote diverse voices.
- Our Mansfield Library faculty have curated a to assist us in understanding systemic racism and to help us connect with UM, local and national resources.
- On March 3, we invite all to join us in welcoming as a President’s Lecture Series speaker as she engages our community in a virtual discussion around race. Tatum served as the ninth president of Spelman College, the oldest historically black women’s college in the United States and is the author of the acclaimed book "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations About Race." Look for an invitation to join the conversation, as well as an invitation to participate in book discussions.
As we navigate together this difficult time for our country, my request is that we do so with respect, compassion and a shared commitment to the ideals of this nation. People across this country – on both ends of the political spectrum – are experiencing anger and frustration, and we collectively face problems from which we must not retreat. Certainly, we will have disagreements, and we must. But we will do so with words, not with violence toward those with whom we disagree. As an institution of higher education, we are a model for the respectful discourse so desperately needed today.
Violence and demonization of those with different views will not make things better. As Dr. King so wisely observed, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”
Let us, as a UM Family and in the spirit of Dr. King, be a source of light for our community and for our nation during this challenging time.
Seth