Controversy surrounds the College's choice of Dorothy Allison, a white lesbian activist and writer, to commemorate Martin Luther King Day with a sold-out speech at the Moore Theater Monday night, with some Dartmouth community members describing her selection as a perversion of the holiday.
Allison, who has written about sex, poverty and violence in several award-winning books, will give the keynote address as part of the College's three-week-long celebration of the slain civil rights leader. Other events include a candlelight vigil and community discussion.
Allison was invited as part of an effort to expand the discussion of civil rights on campus and "make King relevant," said Ozzie Harris, special assistant to the president for institutional diversity. In the past, the College has asked black icons including intellectual Cornel West and filmmaker Spike Lee to give the same address.
"But we're always looking to bring speakers to campus that may provide a different understanding about civil rights," Harris said.
Not everyone, though, is pleased with having a white gay rights activist speak on a day designated for the memory of the black civil rights leader.
Michael Thomas '08 said he is offended by the choice. Although Thomas, who is black, describes himself as supportive of gay rights, he said having Allison speak will alienate members of the Dartmouth population who, if not opposed to equal race rights, are opposed to the rights of same-sex partners.
"I feel that having a lesbian author give the address on this holiday will take attention away from the real reason for the event," Thomas said.
Harris was not surprised that some black students were offended.
"I would think you'd find African Americans that would have objected to King speaking on his birthday," Harris said. "Just because you're black doesn't mean you fundamentally care about people's human and civil rights."
Although Chantee Parris '06 took no issue with the choice of speaker, she noted that the black civil rights struggle has often been conflated with gay rights issues, and that many blacks, especially Christian ones, would like to keep the two struggles separate.
Harris disagreed, acknowledging that the two groups face similar issues in their strides for equality.
"Many of the same rights that lesbians and gays are demanding are the same questions that blacks, Native Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans have been asking: Do I count? Am I American?" Harris said.
LaVon Morgan '07 described herself as a fan of Allison's literature but not Allison's politics. As a black Christian, Morgan said she would like to keep equal rights for gays separate from equal rights for blacks.
"Lesbian feminism is not what comes to mind when I think of King," Morgan said. "In a world where racial inequality still exists, the College should not sweep that away to address issues which King himself did not."
But Harris defended the programming committee's decision and lauded Allison's ability to speak to a variety of issues related to equal rights.
"The civil rights movement has always been about more than race," Harris said.
The campus controversy over Monday's speaker parallels an ongoing debate among black activists in the nation as a whole over connecting the civil rights movement to the gay rights movement. While King's widow has been an advocate of gay rights, his daughter and niece have opposed same-sex marriage.
Although some historians have speculated that King would have supported gay rights if he were alive today, Thomas remained skeptical.
"Although Martin Luther King Jr. preached acceptance and tolerance, I do not believe that it is appropriate [for Allison to speak]," Thomas said.
Besides Allison's speech, the day will include a candlelight vigil that leaves at 5 p.m. from Cutter-Shabazz Hall. Earlier in the day, professors William Cook and Martin Favor will hold a community lunch and discussion in Collis Commonground.
A continual multimedia presentation of a speech King delivered 43 years ago in 105 Dartmouth Hall will air from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the same room.
Related events will continue for the next two weeks, including a Jan. 29 ceremony for the fourth annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Social Justice Awards, which will take place in Alumni Hall and celebrate Dartmouth alumni who have significantly contributed to peace, civil rights, education, public health, environmental justice or social justice.
