Waynesburg University celebrated the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a convocation in Roberts Chapel Tuesday, Jan. 20. Dr. Abolade Ezekiel Olagoke, professor of sociology at the University, served as the guest speaker.
In his message, Dr. Olagoke examined portions of four speeches given by Rev. Dr. King Jr., including:
- His famed “I Have a Dream” speech, presented Aug. 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom;
- “The Other America,” delivered April 14, 1967, at Stanford University;
- “What Is Your Life’s Blueprint?” from Oct. 26, 1967, where he addressed students at Barratt High School in Philadelphia; and
- His final speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” delivered April 3, 1968, at the Mason Temple in Memphis, where he told the crowd that God had allowed him to see the promised land and encouraged them to continue the push for freedom.
Dr. Olagoke, who grew up in Nigeria, recalled the first time he heard the audio recording of Rev. Dr. King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at a Black Student Union gathering at Oklahoma State University, and how he was so “shaken” that he wept. He shared that he played the speech over and over and went on to listen to many more speeches given by Rev. Dr. King.
About Dr. Olagoke
Dr. Olagoke is a nationally recognized scholar whose work examines the intersections of religion, social change and global culture, with particular attention to globalization, youth and religion, immigration and diasporic communities.
Dr. Olagoke has received Sociology of Religion awards from both the University of Denver and the American Baptist Association, recognizing his contributions to scholarship and teaching. He is the author of numerous publications exploring how faith, culture and social structures shape contemporary society.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University, holds master’s degrees from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and Wheaton College and completed his Ph.D. in sociology with a focus on religion and social change at the University of Denver. Dr. Olagoke has taught at Waynesburg University since 2008.
About Waynesburg U.
Consistently ranked a best value school, Waynesburg University’s Strategy for the 21st Century affirms its commitment to developing an entrepreneurial mindset and ethical leadership skills for all students. Rooted in its mission of faith, learning and service, the private, Christian university is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania.
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