January 28, 2002 Author Alice Walker remembers Martin Luther King Jr. at convocation By Louise Donahue Memories of fallen civil rights leader Martin Luther King were interwoven with reflections on terrorism and the war in Afghanistan as author Alice Walker addressed a packed Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium on Wednesday. Alice Walker addresses the crowd at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium on January 23. Photo: Victor Schiffrin, UCSC Photo Services Speaking at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation, Walker recounted the inspiration she took from King and her pain at his death. Sharing the stage with a bust of King, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author said he "never left anyone out of his heart." Walker was a civil rights worker in Mississippi at the time of King's death, and told of making the long funeral march behind King's casket. "Only in the South was he mourned as deeply as he deserved," she said. "I could not bear to hear his voice for a very, very, very, very long time." Despite progress, Walker said society has a long way to go before reaching the Promised Land that King spoke about. She cited homelessness, widespread drug use and the high incarceration levels of African American men as major problems. A pacifist, she also spoke against the American action in Afghanistan. "War will never make us safe," she said. The only way to end it is by stopping. That is the power we have as a nation." She asked the audience to imagine what impact that would have, telling the world: "We are so strong that we are not afraid to listen to you." "Only if we can stop the terror in our hearts can we stop the terror in the world." The convocation included performances by Spirit Drumz and singer Catherine Owens, co-chair of UCSC's African Black Student Alliance. Students brought from area high schools and community colleges attended the speech following an outreach event at UCSC featuring Akasha Hull of the Women's Studies Department, who also introduced Walker at the Civic. The King sculpture displayed on stage is the work of Barrington McLean, who has taught figure sculpture at UCSC and was named a Distinguished Artist of 2001 by the Santa Cruz Art League. Return to Front Page