The Annual MLK Symposium is a University recognized tribute to the numerous contributions of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Every year, the athletic department hosts a program led by student-athletes who strive towards both the dissemination, as well as the clarification of Dr. King's message. Through skits, audience participation activities, and a variety of multimedia tools, students are able to display the teachings of Dr. King in a creative fashion. The planning begins in late fall, and continues up through the event which takes place on MLK Day in January.
Every year has a theme that shapes the structure of the program.
In the past, highlights have included step shows, speakers, and a performance by the University of Michigan Gospel Chorale. Historically, the program has addressed many of the issues that pertain to student-athletes, while encompassing the multiple themes of Dr. King. This combination provides direct insight into the role that student-athletes have as leaders and teammates, as well as the responsibility that we all have to one another as fellow citizens. In many ways, the integrationist dreams of Dr. King can be directly applied to college athletics. For some, the athletic field has been one of the only places where trivial differences such as skin color have been overlooked for the purpose of obtaining a common goal.