Knox Welcomed Scholar Melvin Rogers as Part of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebrations

The Knox College community gathered on a cold Monday to participate in the College’s celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, starting with the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation. This event, held since 2002, brought together students, faculty, staff, and Galesburg community members for reflection in the Harbach Theatre. This year’s Convocation was highlighted by keynote speaker Melvin L. Rogers, the Edna and Richard Salomon Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brown University. Rogers’ address, "Democracy and Faith in Dark Times," built on his most recent publication, The Darkened Light of Faith: Race, Democracy, and Freedom in African American Political Thought (Princeton University Press, 2023), and touched on the importance of freedom and equality in American life. 

Rogers was welcomed to the stage by Provost and Dean of the Faculty Melissa Glenn.

“His scholarship asks the most pressing question of our present: What justifies our faith in democracy during dark times?” Glenn said of Rogers. “His insights are the perfect bridge from the local lessons we learn today to the actions we must take tomorrow. I am still thinking about the MLK Community Breakfast this morning, in particular the two seventh graders who read essays they had written and the inspiring remarks of DeAndre Henderson ’10, that reminds us this work is a relay race.” 

Rogers emphasized that Dr. King’s words remain as relevant today as they were in the 1960s, especially as Americans continue to seek freedom and democracy for all.

“The ultimate measure of a person, Dr. King wrote, is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge,” Rogers said. “As the Civil Rights Movement unfolded and Americans struggled to clarify their commitments to each other, King began to ask what virtues were required to sustain democratic faith when its demands grew heavy.”

As some Americans struggle to find faith in our democracy, Rogers reminded the audience: “Faith does not eliminate vulnerability; it reveals that vulnerability has always been the condition of freedom and courage is not the possession of extraordinary individuals, it is something cultivated together through shared responsibility, shared risk, and the refusal to abandon one another in dark and dangerous moments,” he said.

In his closing remarks, Rogers stressed that faith in democracy and the fight for it are noble causes that each and every one of us can aspire to and achieve. 

“That in the end is what democratic faith asks of us. Not certainty, not innocence, but endurance,” he said.

"Dr. Rogers’ charge to us aligns so clearly with Knox’s mission as a community of individuals from diverse backgrounds challenging each other to explore, understand and improve ourselves, our society and our world," said President C. Andrew McGadney. “Here at Knox we strive to provide every member of our community with the tools and skills to be leaders and change-makers for the social good. Dr. Rogers’ provided historical context that even when the work is difficult and progress is hard to see, every contribution matters.”  

In addition to the Convocation lecture, Rogers welcomed the opportunity to spend time with Knox students in Associate Professor of Political Science Thomas Bell’s American Political Thought class and to connect with faculty, staff, and students during his visit..

The day also featured a variety of events hosted by Knox on and off campus, all open to the community.

One such event was a Children’s Reading Hour at the Galesburg Public Library, led by Knox College A.B.L.E. (Allied Blacks for Liberty and Equality) students. The hour featured stories exploring kindness, fairness, and the courage to do what is right, reflecting values inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Later, participants came together for a candlelight march. Members of the community braved the frigid temperatures for a peaceful walk across campus in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ending in the H.O.P.E. (House of Peace and Equity) Center with hot chocolate and time for fellowship. “When asked what fortifies us in dark times, it is faith and also love,” said Assistant Vice President for Student Development Kamilah L. Williams who led the march. “If it were not for faith and love, none of us would be where we’re at, so let that sustain you in dark times, may it always carry you.”

The evening concluded with the Knox dance program’s multi-media reflection on Dances for Social Change: The Legacy Project, in Kresge Recital Hall in the Ford Center for the Fine Arts. Through moving performances, profound storytelling, and compelling visuals, the program celebrated the enduring power of community, social awareness, and cultural reflection. The evening’s final moments offered a powerful reminder that the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy lives on at Knox, inspiring all present to continue striving for justice, hope, and unity. 

This years’ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day programming was organized by a committee of students, faculty, and staff including; Melissa Glenn, Provost and Dean of the Faculty; Thomas Bell, Associate Professor of Political Science; Dr. Kamilah Williams, Assistant Vice President for Student Development; Tamia Ware ‘26, President of A.B.L.E.; Teresa Nelson, Director of Civic Engagement; and Stacia Mattan, Secretary of the College.  

For more photos from the day’s events, visit Knox College’s Flickr page.

Published on January 20, 2026

- Scott Holland, Knox College Office of Communications