Sheryl Wilson still gets emotional when she imagines an incident that took place at Bethel College long before she was even born.
Wilson, vice president for culture and belonging at Bethel, just passed her 8th anniversary working at the college. What she’s remembering is Jan. 21, 1960, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Memorial Hall on “The Future of Integration.”
For the first time in 16 years, the public has an opportunity to hear the whole address, in Mem Hall, in front of the very podium where King stood to speak – on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m., when the recording of the speech will be played.
Only one known original recording exists. It was rescued from a storage barn in eastern Kansas and professionally restored, in time for the 50th anniversary of the speech in 2010.
“Every time I listen to [the CD of the recording], I have a hard time not crying,” Wilson said. “It is not lost on me that I have written about, listened to the teachings of, and engaged around the activism of, this man my whole life. This means everything, to be able to invite people to hear his words.
“This is a rarely heard speech,” she continued. “At Bethel College, we get the opportunity to hear it and engage with the content in a way people in other places don’t. When I listened to it the first time recently, [I could hear] the precursor language and ideas to his 1963 ‘I have a dream’ speech.”
Following the listening event, at 7 p.m., there will be a program of music and spoken word, “A Better World: The Journey of MLK,” created by professional musician Roz Royster McCommon, Bellevue, Wash., Bethel Class of 1993.
And that’s the culmination of a whole weekend of activities, many of which are collaborations that involve Bethel College, Hesston College, the Newton Community for Racial Justice (NCRJ) and the Newton Public Library.
Hesston College students will be participating in service projects during the weekend, according to Michele Hershberger, Bible professor and campus pastor.
On the afternoon of Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. in Hesston Mennonite Church, is the performance of “Melodies from Heaven,” which reflects the musical traditions of the Civil Rights Movement.
This joint project involves McCommon and her band along with the Bethel College Concert Choir, the Central Kansas Master Chorale and the Hesston College Bel Canto Singers.
Dr. Russell Adrian, Dr. Joel Garber and Greg Bontrager lead the respective vocal groups.
Sunday’s event “is more of a concert,” McCommon said. “It will focus on the musical genres from the African-American culture and its influences.
“Monday evening is a concept I created and will be a visualization of Dr. King’s ancestry, moving from Africa to America along with the struggles that [people] experienced. That program will have choir, orchestra, my band from Seattle and a stage production, also featuring some of the students from Hesston and Bethel College.”
Monday morning, which is the federal MLK holiday, there will be a prayer breakfast at 8 a.m. with local clergy at the Bontrager Student Center on the Hesston College campus.
From 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Jan. 19, the Newton Public Library and NCRJ are hosting two escape rooms for which the clues involve aspects of Dr. King’s life and work.
Participants will work together to solve puzzles, uncover hidden stories and reflect on how Dr. King’s message continues to challenge and inspire today.
Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is recommended in order to secure the preferred time slot. Register using the News & Events tab on the Newton Public Library website, newtonplks.org, or at newtonplks.org/calendar
This is a family-friendly activity, though recommended for children age 5 and up.
Brian Lee, Newton, who works at WSU Tech in Wichita, is the main brain behind the escape rooms.
“‘Journey Towards Justice’ is a short stroll through significant some of Dr. King’s accomplishments,” Lee said. “We want people to understand that Dr. King began with a belief that led him to action. However, it is our responsibility to continue the dream and legacy.
“So we walk them through the different stages where he found those messages, and challenge participants to carry forward the responsibility of completing what he started.”
The second room, titled “I Have a Dream,” focuses on the famous 1963 speech in Washington, D.C.
This is Lee’s first try at an escape room. “I hope it turns out well enough to do it again,” he said. “I think it’s a creative way to understand [Dr. King’s] messages while having a little fun. People learn in different ways. This should hopefully generate some conversation … and help [participants] remember his dream and legacy.”
Rounding out the day is the listening event for the 1960 speech at 6 p.m., and “A Better World” at 7 p.m., with Bethel’s Concert Choir and Chamber Orchestra, community singers, and the Hesston College Bel Canto Singers joining McCommon in Mem Hall.
“The collaboration around this year’s MLK Day is exceptional,” said Bethel President Jon Gering.
He continued, “I’m glad to have Roz McCommon back on campus after visiting her in Bellevue for several years. I’m happy that we are partnering with Hesston College, the Newton Public Library and NCRJ to bring Dr. King’s message to a broad range of people. A special thanks to Sheryl Wilson for taking the lead on this event on behalf of the college.”
“It’s been great to work together with Bethel friends as we seek to truly remember and honor Dr. King,” said Hershberger. “Our very collaboration nurtures the values for which he stood.
“And the celebrations – both on Sunday afternoon at Hesston and Monday evening at Bethel – will be fantastic. There are so many things to be excited about. This weekend has everything!”
All events are free and open to the public.
Major funding for the events at Bethel College come from the Reimer/Boese Worship and the Arts Endowment, which celebrates the lives of Katharina Voth Reimer and Thomas U. Reimer, and Maria Schroeder Boese and Abraham L. Boese, parents of donor Dr. Rosella Reimer Duerksen. The endowment is intended to assist Bethel College in providing lectures, musical events, workshops or conferences which focus on the arts as tools for the communication of the faith.
Funding also comes from the Milford E. Greer Arts Endowment (Greer Lecture Series) and the Bethel College Office of Culture and Belonging.
