UK Explores Activism Then and Now With Bobby Seale and Shaun King
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 5, 2016) — The University of Kentucky's Martin Luther King (MLK) Center brings co-founder and chairman of the Black Panther Party Bobby Seale and civil rights activist Shaun King to campus as a part of its "Convo Series" 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6. The two will discuss activism then and now in the Kincaid Auditorium in the Gatton College of Business and Economics.
Seale co-founded the Black Panther Party with Huey P. Newton in 1966 in efforts to organize the black community and express their desires and needs in order to resist the racism and classism perpetuated by the system.
The Black Panther Party was an organization that promoted self-defense, community social programs and political awareness. Its slogan was "freedom by any means necessary," adopted from civil rights leader Malcom X. The organization gained a large following and reached its peak in 1970 with offices in 68 cities across the country.
Seale recently co-authored "Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers" with Stephen Shames. The book will be released Oct. 18 marking the Black Panther Party's 50th anniversary year.
King, a native of Versailles, Kentucky, has become a nationally recognized leader in civil rights advocacy especially with his use of social media in recent years. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and currently serves as the senior justice writer for the New York Daily News.
A Black Lives Matter activist, King has made numerous efforts in support of the national movement. He has written many articles on the topic of police brutality towards African Americans as well as hosted fundraisers to benefit the family of Tamir Rice.
This event is being co-sponsored by UK's College of Arts and Sciences' African American and Africana Studies Program and College of Communication and Information, as well as the NAACP.
The MLK Center's mission is to advance UK's strategic goal of achieving a more diverse and inclusive campus environment; to support increased retention of undergraduate students who are generally underrepresented in the student body; and to enhance student achievement by helping students to have a more engaged, productive and fulfilling undergraduate experience. To these ends, the center's goals are to foster intercultural competence, promote respect and passion for the pursuit of quality education, and to help prepare students for productive and responsible engagement in a global society. For more information on the MLK Center, visit them online at www.uky.edu/mlkc/, follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/uk_mlkcenter, or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UKMLKC.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Kathryn Macon, kathryn.macon@uky.edu, 859-257-8716