J.T. Thomas addresses the attendees of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Reflection Luncheon.
Penn State Altoona held its eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Reflection Luncheon on Jan. 16, in the Adler gymnasium. Students, faculty, staff, and community members came together in remembrance and celebration of the civil rights leader.
J.T. Thomas, Florida State’s first black football player, was the keynote speaker. In 1971 he was the number one draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers and became part of the legendary Steel Curtain Defense that helped the team win four Super Bowls. Students offered musical and dance performances as part of the event.
“I think the luncheon is very important for Penn State Altoona, because it brings awareness to the current social justice issues that are present in our community, and it keeps the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. alive,” states Tymone Williams, a recent Penn State Altoona graduate. “Every year we meet individuals from the community who are greatly involved in organizations such as the NAACP, and that has had such an impact on my life. Every year that I was a student here, I was able to partake in the event by singing the Negro Spiritual, also known as the Black National Anthem, ‘Lift Every Voice.’ I take so much pride and joy in singing that song because it is so symbolic of how far African Americans have come. The luncheon has always been one of my favorite events.”
The luncheon was sponsored by the Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity, and International Student Services.