2024 University Program and Events
2024 MLK Commemoration
Keynote Address: Jonathan Eig
January 16, 20245:00pm CST
Mary B. Galvin Concert Hall
70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208
Jonathan Eig is the author of six best seller books, four of them New York Times best sellers. His most recent book, King: A Life, has been hailed as a "monumental…definitive" biography of Martin Luther King Jr. It was long-listed for the National Book Award and King was named one of the ten best books of the year by the Washington Post.
Jonathan’s previous book, Ali: A Life, won a 2018 PEN America Literary Award and was a finalist for the Mark Lynton History Prize. His works have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Jonathan is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School. He began his writing career at age 16, working for his hometown newspaper, The Rockland County (N.Y.) Journal News and went on to work as a reporter for The New Orleans Times-Picayune, The Dallas Morning News, Chicago Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.
Alpha Phi Alpha Candlelight Vigil:
***IMPORTANT NOTE***
THE MLK VIGIL event will now take place on January 28, 2024 at the Alice Milar Chapel at 5pm CST.
Rev. Dr. Reginald W. Williams, Jr.
*NOTE NEW EVENT DATE - January 28, 20245pm CST
Alice Millar Chapel
1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208
Event is free and open to the public
Rev. Dr. Reginald W. Williams Jr. has served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of University Park, Illinois since 2008.
Dr. Williams has been awarded numerous honors and commendations for his commitment to people and progress. He served as Social Actions chairperson for the Florida A & M University NAACP college chapter, as well as Community Service co-chairperson for the Beta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He was honored by the Wisconsin State Bar as the Public Interest Law Student of the Year for 1998, in addition to a number of other honors bestowed upon him by the University of Wisconsin Law School. Dr. Williams was also honored as a member of “Who’s Who in Black Chicago” for the year 2008, the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Image Award for service to the Community by the South Suburban Martin Luther King Jr., Celebration Committee, the 2018 Spiritual Leader of the year by Chamber 57, and the 2019 IDEAL Education Foundation Award for Community Leadership continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Williams also serves as adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary and Chicago Theological Seminary in the areas of Social Justice Ministry in the local Church, and Prophetic Preaching.