The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. was celebrated by Missouri Southern on Jan. 19, where several departments and individuals at Missouri Southern sponsored the events that included a breakfast, a Diversity Workshop, and a speech to be delivered by Clarence Bozeman, one of King’s closest friends.

Bozeman, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church’s first full time transportation employee, also served as the driver for King’s family. He became a confidant of King and the two men were able to share their thoughts concerning civil rights, among other topics.

Dr. Al Cade, head of the department of teacher education, has been involved in organizing the events here at Southern for ten years.

Cade said that King “was about service” and that he “cared about serving mankind.” Regarding King’s legacy, he said “people need to read his writings.” Cade suggests that the reason we should go back and read what King wrote is so that we can avoid repeating some of our past mistakes.

However, he expressed much concern about many people being ignorant concerning some of the things that King said and did.

“Over the years, he’s become marginalized,” Cade said. He emphasized that what King and his followers were doing in this country during the 1960s, in protesting the Vietnam War among other things, was very radical.

Cade said that King “was followed by Feds” and that “Hoover hated him.”

“He spoke truth to power,” said Cade of King.