Indiana University East will welcome Martin Luther King Jr. Day keynote speaker Julius Bailey, Ph.D., at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 21, in the First Bank Community Room located in Whitewater Hall. Bailey is an associate professor of philosophy at Wittenberg University.

Julius Bailey

The lecture, “MLK Jr.’s Beloved Community Begins With You,” is free and open to the public.

Using King’s words that appeal to a common humanity Bailey will focus on the role individuals can play to impact societal change.

“In other words, we need a project of redefining our common humanity in a way that transcends racial division and creates a powerful new sense of national or human identity capable of transcending and overcoming the old, race-based identities,” Bailey says. “This is a beloved community, as King saw it. Today is my day, your day, our day, to rid ourselves of the old and pick up anew and forge an America that puts love as its national ethic.”

As an associate professor at Wittenberg, Bailey teaches philosophy and African American Studies. He is a philosopher, cultural critic, social theorist and diversity lecturer.

In addition to teaching, Bailey is the coordinator for the African and Diaspora Studies, and the director for the Pre-Law Program and director for the Justice, Law & Public Policy program at Wittenberg University. He also serves as the director of Faculty Diversity and as a member of the university’s African and Diaspora Studies Advisory Board and the Student Board of Academic Standards.

Bailey has been a guest on numerous media outlets including CNN, Fox, B.E.T, and ABC Nightline, and he often speaks at colleges, prisons, churches and community organizations across America.

He has authored four books, including the award-winning Racial Realities and Post-Racial Dreams: The Age of Obama and Beyond and edited two others, including The Cultural Impact of Kanye West. His new book, Racism, Hypocrisy and Bad Faith: A Moral Challenge to the America I Love, is scheduled to be released by Broadview Press this February.

Bailey received his Doctorate in Philosophical Foundations and Education, with a minor in philosophy, from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. He received a Masters Certificate in African American Studies from Harvard University and a Master of Arts in Philosophy and his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Following Bailey’s lecture the campus will host additional events and activities through January 31. This includes a film showing of The Hate You Give, The Race Card Project, a panel discussion with community members, and a community discussion with IU East’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Events are free and open to the public.

Yemi Mahoney, chief diversity officer and special assistant to the Chancellor, organized the events for this year’s MLK celebration at IU East.

“Fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all is one of IU East’s values,” Mahoney said. “It is my hope that these events, beginning with Bailey’s lecture about creating a beloved community, will not only facilitate dialogue about important issues but also serve as a call to action for our community.”

The IU East campus will be closed on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Upcoming MLK Events
Keynote Lecture: MLK Jr.’s Beloved Community Begins With You
Tuesday, January 21
2 p.m. A reception will follow the lecture.
Whitewater Hall, First Bank Richmond Community Room
Speaker: Julius Bailey, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at Wittenberg University.

Movie: The Hate You Give
Thursday, January 23
7 p.m.
Tom Raper Hall, Room 124
Description: Starr Carter, who is constantly switching between two worlds – the poor, mostly black neighborhood where she lives and the wealthy, mostly white prep school that she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is soon shattered when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend at the hands of a police officer. Facing pressure from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and decide to stand up for what is right.

The Race Card Project
Monday, January 27 – Friday, January 31
Whitewater Hall Lobby
Description: The Race Card Project invites people from all walks of life to share their opinions, beliefs, observations, and experiences on race and cultural diversity in a six-word sentence. Stop by to post a six-word sentence and read what others have posted.

Panel Discussion: Stories of Resistance, Persistence and Empowerment from the Civil Rights Era
Tuesday, January 28
7 p.m.
Whitewater Hall Lobby
Description: What was it like to integrate a high school football team in Kentucky? Petition companies in Indiana to hire Black workers? Confront members of the Ku Klux Klan? A panel of local community members will highlight their activism during the Civil Rights Movement in Indiana and beyond.

Community Discussion with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Wednesday, January 29
11 a.m.
Campus Library, located in Hayes Hall in the Community Engagement Commons
Description: During its first meeting of the semester the Diversity and Inclusion Committee will host a discussion about Martin Luther King Jr., the relevance of his message today, and how IU East faculty and staff can incorporate “his dream” into their work.