Friday, March 6, 2026
The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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CSC Celebrates MLK: Campus commemorates legacy

Melissa Minasi
Monday students and community members walk South on Maine Street during the Martin Luther King March. — Photo by Kinley Q. Nichols
Monday students and community members walk South on Maine Street during the Martin Luther King March. — Photo by Kinley Q. Nichols

Signs filled Main Street Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.  Proud supporters marched and held their signs high with messages reading, “Free at Last, His Dream Lives On,” “We Shall Over Come,” and “Let Freedom Ring.”

King’s most famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” blared over speakers so that anyone within earshot could hear the supportive marchers as they remembered King’s dreams.

After marching down Main Street to the college, participants were invited into the Student Center to enjoy refreshments and listen to more of King’s speeches.

“Martin Luther King Jr. sacrificed everything for what we have now.  I marched with every race as one today in support of his work,” Demetrius Blackburn, of Omaha, said.

Blackburn also said he marched with the Pine Ridge Job Corps, “because of equality for people.”

Students and community members gathered to further honor Martin Luther King Jr. with a commemorative vigil held Monday night in the Student Center ballroom.

The vigil was put on by CSC Director of the Sandoz Center Sarah Polak.

Glowsticks were distributed as participants entered the dimly lit ballroom to sit and listen to MLK’s famous speech that he gave 25 years ago. There were moments of laughter as well as tears as the circle of people honored MLK’s civil rights accomplishments.

Perhaps most important goal King had was to deal with change peacefully.  This holiday anniversary along with recent events reminds us all how difficult this can be.  The Arizona shootings are a painful example that demonstrates how much the nation still struggles with the same problems that King fought against.  With these shootings still fresh in everyone’s mind, it is impossible to overlook the need to fulfill King’s vision.

What distinguishes King from other protestors in history is his unique committment to protest in a non-violent manner. King himself said “An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.”

King is also quoted as saying, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

This day is a a reminder to renew one’s commitment of dedicating oneself to peaceful conflict resolution so we can finally achieve Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.