EDWARDSVILLE - Community members gathered at SIUE to hear from Donzaleigh Abernathy, a speaker, actress, writer, activist, and the goddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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On Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, SIUE hosted its 42nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon. Abernathy, the keynote speaker, spoke about her memories of “Uncle Martin” and her parents Rev. Dr. Ralph David and Juanita Jones Abernathy, leaders in the Civil Rights Movement. She urged audience members to speak up for what’s right and continue to fight for justice.
“If I have to lay down and die, I will die for my freedom, because we’re not going back,” she said. “Courage is not when you’re brave and going on out there anyway because you want to go. Courage is when you’re timid…but you summon up the strength anyway. That's courage.”
Abernathy said her father issued the call for the Civil Rights Movement after Rosa Parks was arrested. He encouraged King’s involvement partly because King was the only Black man in the region who had a doctorate. The two men became good friends after meeting at a church service, and they worked together to lead the Civil Rights Movement.
Abernathy stressed that the road to freedom was not easy. When Abernathy’s mother was pregnant with her, her parents’ house was bombed with Juanita inside. Over the years, Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy went to jail 44 times because of his fight for civil rights. She pointed out that this history is still recent.
“I am the great-granddaughter of slaves,” she said. “I don’t want somebody to tell you that was so long ago…because I’m standing in front of you and I’m not that old and their blood is in my veins.”
Growing up, Abernathy worked hard to impress “Daddy and Uncle Martin” with good grades. King would often film the plays that Abernathy, her siblings and King’s children would perform. He was always reading, and Abernathy strived to emulate him.
“Uncle Martin was so young. He was so reluctant. He didn’t want to lead a movement, but when God calls you, [you do it],” she remembered. “All he talked about is love. He was so selfless and good.”
Abernathy’s mother and King’s wife, “Aunt Coretta,” were also major forces in the Civil Rights Movement. As Abernathy showed photos of Civil Rights Movement leaders, she noted that several people are “nameless in history” but were important members of the cause, many of whom gave their lives. These people were both Black and white, and most of them were very young. Abernathy pushed audience members to continue their fight.
“There were so many good people who outnumbered all those evil people filled with hate,” she said. “It’s going to be on you all now, because they’re gone…There are only a few left.”
Abernathy was there for most of the major marches. The Abernathy and King children integrated Spring Street Elementary School. When King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, Abernathy and her siblings jumped up and down, screaming, because they thought it was “incredible.”
Abernathy’s father was with King when he died. She shared that she is still shaken by his death.
“I wanted to be like him. I loved him. I didn’t understand how God could take him. I didn’t know how He could take someone so good,” she said. “I was so hurt. I’m still hurt to this day that he’s gone…I’m hurt that children are killed in public schools across America for nothing…America, we’ve got to do better.”
As Abernathy concluded her speech, she urged the white people in the room to speak up for what’s right. She also encouraged people to vote and remember the stories of the Civil Rights Movement.
“Now it’s on you all,” she said. “Be in that room and fight for us…Think about us. Care about us. Don’t let anybody ship us out of America…Be great Americans.”
The luncheon included several performances by the SIUE Gospel Choir, the SIUE East St. Louis Performing Arts Program and the SIUE Black Theatre Workshop. Student Body President Barrett Larkin and Black Student Union President Peyton Gamble introduced speakers and award presenters.
Several students and community members were recognized through SIUE’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. awards. Albert Smith Jr., Paul Pitts, Christine Ilewski Huelsmann, Ashlyn Dean, Lillian O’Donnell and Emma Wojda were honored. Dr. Tandra Taylor also recognized the Freedom School Servant Leader Award recipients, including Joaquin Alexander, Amariah Carter, Amara Coburn, Omar Jackson, Makayla Mallon, Aniya Sykes, Courtney Walker and A’nya Wilkes.
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