“Face the world with courage,” Randolph president tells students

During his keynote address at the College’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, the president of Randolph College challenged students to learn about and follow the example of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Calling King “the greatest orator in 20th century America,” Bradley W. Bateman encouraged students to read King’s speeches and letters. “I hope you'll take the time to study an episode in his life. Find out how he lived. Find out about American society at the time. He faced more than you face, and he faced it with great courage.

“If we take his legacy seriously,” Bateman added, “we must name what we see and must be honest about the violence that we see in front of us.”

During the Wednesday service, Bateman cited several examples demonstrating that racism continues to affect American society, including threats of violence against African Americans, obstacles to voting rights, the acceptance of racial epithets, and the denial by many that racism exists.

“Race relations and race in America have changed since I was the age of you students,” Bateman said. “But much has not changed. I think we have to face that honestly, and we have to fight it.”

Several factors make it harder to discuss the issue of race, however. “It’s become much more difficult to deal with race in our country because of the mainstreaming of hate in the media,” Bateman said. “Hate is now used as entertainment. Hate is used for fun, and hate is used as a joke.

“Despite the mainstreaming of hate in the media, despite the complexities of race in the 21st century, we must face that hate with courage, strength, and nonviolence,” following the example that King set, Bateman said.

Bateman asked the College community to work together to help eradicate racism and its effects.

“We must go into the community together—students, faculty, and staff alike. We must work in this community to establish justice and equality,” he said. “We can work for voting rights. We can work against poverty. We can work against hunger, and we can work for educational access.”

“We depend on you greatly,” Bateman told Randolph students. “Face the world with courage. Fight for equality, fight for justice, and fight for peace.”

You can watch the full speech here.

"The best is yet to come," says Martin Luther King ceremony speaker

Joyce Glaise remembers Martin Luther King Jr. coming to Danville, Virginia, to help promote the civil rights movement when she was a young girl. Because of segregation, he was not even allowed to stay in a hotel, Glaise told an audience at Randolph College’s Martin Luther King birthday memorial last Wednesday.

Joyce Glaise spoke at Randolph College's Martin
Luther King Jr. Celebration on January 16.

Glaise, an, educator, politician, and civil rights activist, contrasted that with her own experience. As she travels the nation to advocate for civil rights, she is able to stay in any hotel or eat in any restaurant she would like. The change is one symbol of the freedom for which King fought.

“We have accomplished a lot because of Martin Luther King,” Glaise said.

Glaise, who delivered the keynote address at the King memorial event, reminded her audience of Randolph students and community members that the accomplishments in the civil rights movement did not come easily, and the work is not done.

“My goal in life is to help this generation become leaders; to give you vision, courage, stamina, intelligence, wisdom, and intestinal fortitude to realize that the world needs you all,” Glaise said.

She encouraged her listeners to join civic organizations, seek service opportunities, and become educated. “Our greatest enemy is to be complacent and ignorant,” she said.

Voices, an a cappella group at Randolph, provides music for the service.

“We must push for high quality education for every child, a job for every American who wants a job, and a fair chance at prosperity for every individual in our nation,” Glaise said. “We must keep Martin Luther King’s dream alive for American posterity.”

Glaise said that it is up to each individual to create the future, and she expressed optimism in the country’s direction. “I know the best is yet to come,” she said.