By Ella Prieto, Editor-in-Chief
The first day of classes for the Spring Semester coincided with Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Day. As with every federal holiday, Gettysburg College students did not have off, which has been a point of contention for many. To help remedy this issue, the Public Policy, Africana Studies and Philosophy & Religious Studies departments, along with the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, the Office of Multicultural Engagement and the Center for Public Service, provided students with opportunities to learn about King’s life and legacy. They also focus on how this connects with the local Gettysburg community. While this was only the second year of programming, organizers hope for it to become a longstanding tradition.
“In 2025 (the first year we did this), MLK Day, Trump’s second Inauguration, and our first day of classes happened together. It felt like a lot was going on and it felt a bit strange to pretend it was just an ordinary first day of classes,” explained Assistant Professor of Public Policy Dr. Christopher Rick, a main organizer of the event. “I learned about Gettysburg 1963 by Jill Titus, Associate Director of [the Civil War Institute], and thought it would be educational – and relevant – to my students to have them hear from Jill and Jane Nutter, a lifelong Gettysburg resident, about what life was like during the Civil Rights Era. This year’s events grew from that.”
Assistant Professor of Public Policy Chris Rick introducing speakers. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)
The day kicked off with a “takeover” of Junction in the College Union Building from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Rick thanked the College’s Events Planning and Coordinating Committee (EPACC) and the Fred ’52 and Martha Mahan Great Questions Fund for logistical and financial support. He also recognized the previously stated partners.
“We gather to commemorate and learn from the consequential life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” stated Rick. “We affirm [Gettysburg College’s] core values, some of which include the worth and dignity of all people and the limitless value of their intellectual potential, the commitment to a diverse and inclusive learning environment, the free and open exchange of ideas and the exploration of their ethical and spiritual dimensions…These values have not universally been held throughout our nation’s history, and indeed, are not universally held today. But we affirm, as one our core values, the power of a liberal arts education to help students develop sensitivity to the human condition, which is necessary, these values say, to enable students to realize their full potential for responsible citizenship.”
Rick then introduced Dr. Stephen Haynes of Rhodes College, who teaches religious studies and conducts research focusing on Jewish-Christian relations, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the biblical justifications for slavery and segregation. Haynes holds a PhD in Religion and Literature from Emory University and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary.
Haynes’s talk, “The MLK We Know and Love, and the MLK We Don’t” dove into MLK’s legacy, discussing the aspects celebrated versus the aspects disregarded or hidden.
“I like the title because I really believe there are aspects of MLK’s life and legacy we don’t know, and if we did, we probably wouldn’t like,” explained Haynes. “And this is one of the ironies of having an MLK Day that is so universally participated in and celebrated because during King’s own life, he was not well liked, particularly by White people.”
Haynes elaborated that a 1968 Harris Poll had King’s public disapproval rating at nearly 75%. This was due to his more unpopular stances at the time, such as genuine equality, guaranteed minimum income and opposition to the Vietnam War.
Students from the Anti-Racist Collective (ARC) and the Black Student Union (BSU) took over from Haynes at 11 a.m., and followed a similar message with a presentation on the false dichotomy between Malcolm X and King that transitioned into a bystander intervention workshop. President of ARC and BSU Denae Brown ’26 led the presentation, beginning with an overview of Malcom X and MLK. She worked through many of the common misconceptions regarding both men, particularly the belief that they were drastically different.
“When we think of these two characters, we sometimes pit them against each other, even though they fought for the same thing: the liberation of Black people. So, we will try to understand these two more, and not just as leaders, but as people themselves, because they were still human beings,” explained Brown.
Regarding MLK, she developed on points Haynes had made in his speech, discussing his unpopularity during the end of his life and his broader mission to lift people out of poverty, which included fighting for fair housing and protesting the Vietnam War. X had a similar mission, and while he began his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement advocating for racial separation, his stance evolved after a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he embraces a more inclusive approach, focusing on the common struggle of all oppressed people, regardless of race or religion.
“I want to emphasize that both men were surveilled, criminalized and widely disliked their lifetime,” said Brown. “…Reducing people to one narrative bears the harmful bias itself. When we flatten Martin Luther King and Malcom X into symbols instead of human beings, we practice the same kind of oversimplification that fuels prejudice. Today’s history oversimplifies leaders to make them easier to consume… this selective memory limits our understanding of resistance.”
She then transitioned into the workshop, starting with a definition of racism to ensure all participants had a shared understanding of the word. Brown also gave ways racism is enacted, such as microaggressions (everyday comments or behaviors that reinforce racial stereotypes), and internalized racism (when individuals accept negative messages about their own racial group, leading to self-doubt, policing identity and isolation). She also explained three levels of racism: individual (actions and behaviors of a single person), communal (regarding organizations and groups) and institutional (policies and practices in society and structures).
Brown asserted the importance of speaking up when you notice any type of racism and concluded with a call to action: “Recognizing discrimination, whether subtle or overt, is the first step towards change. Bystander intervention is collective work. Speaking up, supporting your peers and intervening with care transforms community values into lived action. Our call to action is to learn deeply, see people fully and choose courage over comfort every single day.”
Assistant Director of Scheduling and Event Support John Rudy, ’07 took over for a Lunch & Learn on the Civil Rights Era in Gettysburg. Gettysburg was a focal point of the era, with advocates on both sides highlighting its importance. Furthermore, 1963 was the 100th anniversary of the Battle. President Lyndon B. Johnson gave a speech in the town on Memorial Day of 1963, encouraging the nation to remember the promises of Gettysburg.
Lincoln Cemetery Project Association President Jean Green presenting to students. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)
President of the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association Jean Green and President and CEO of Gettysburg History Andrew Dalton ’19 concluded the takeover with a talk entitled, “Segregated in Death: Gettysburg’s Lincoln Cemetery.” They educated students about the all-black cemetery beneath a backyard in 311 York Street, as Black people could not be buried in the same land as White people.
“Isn’t that incredible?” remarked Green. “You’re dead, but you still are not recognized as a complete human being, so you have to be buried separately from your White comrades and neighbors.”
This was the final resting place for some of Gettysburg’s most prominent Black citizens. While many of the bodies and headstones were moved in 1906 to Lincoln Cemetery, some never were, and were only discovered during construction on the property. Green and Dalton emphasized the importance of remembering and preserving this history.
Reflecting on the day, Rick spoke on the lessons and knowledge bestowed upon students and the importance of having guest speakers with lived experiences and expertise to cover these topics.
“There’s a recognition in these events that community members, students, and administrators have valuable lessons to teach us,” he elucidated. “My students have to hear from me 28 times this semester. I don’t have the lived experiences or expertise in most things, and I want my students to learn about them from people who have those experiences or expertise.”
He also once again expressed his thanks to all those who assisted him: “I’m so thankful to everyone who helped the Teach-In be successful. I couldn’t do this alone.”
This article originally appeared on pages 4-6 of the February 2026 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine.
