By Willona M. Sloan
George Washington President Steven Knapp opened the day-long "Messages from the Mountaintop” event by reading an excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.’s sermon, “The Drum Major Instinct.”
“If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness,” Dr. Knapp said, reciting words Dr. King had delivered Feb. 4, 1968, in Atlanta.
Messages from the Mountaintop offered GW students, faculty and staff an opportunity to perform live readings from Dr. King’s many sermons, speeches and letters—creating a resounding testament to the slain civil rights champion’s rhetorical power.
The program, organized by GW’s Multicultural Student Services Center, was part of the university’s King Week celebration. Michael Tapscott, director of the MSSC, said the goal of King Week and Messages from the Mountaintop is to remind the community of Dr. King’s legacy.
“The objective of King Week is to keep the memory of Dr. King alive, to continue to inspire and motivate our youth and to be mindful of his principles, his vision and his mission,” Mr. Tapscott said.
Among the dozens who signed up to participate in the readings on Thursday on Kogan Plaza were students Matt Hart, Lashonette Schjang and Lujain Al-Khawi, who read from Dr. King’s sermon, “The Birth of A New Nation.”
“There seems to be a throbbing desire, there seems to be an internal desire for freedom within the soul of every man. And it’s there; it might not break forth in the beginning, but eventually it breaks out,” Ms. Al-Khawi read.
Caroline Laguerre-Brown, vice provost for diversity, equity and community engagement, said the readings of Dr. King’s words carry special meaning this year. “I think his speeches, his writings and his sacrifices can be a source of inspiration for people who are looking for a way forward,” Ms. Laguerre-Brown said.
