Kendi delivers keynote address at King event; WFU and WSSU staff and students honored

Ibram X. Kendi

Ibram X. Kendi, professor of history and international relations, and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, delivered the Martin Luther King Jr. keynote address in Wait Chapel on Jan. 20.

For 20 years, Wake Forest and Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) have collaborated on bringing in a keynote speaker to honor the life and legacy of King, making it the longest-running partnership between the two institutions.

Before Kendi’s speech, a ceremony for this year’s “Building the Dream” winners was held in the Donald J. Reaves Student Center on the campus of Winston-Salem State University. The award is traditionally presented to a professor or administrator and a student from both Wake Forest and WSSU who exemplify King’s qualities and promote diversity within the community.

Wake Forest employees Shannon Ashford and Darlene Starnes, and WSSU employee Heather Davis were honored, as were Wake students Neicy Myers and Liz Torres-Ramirez and WSSU student Naviyea Adams.

Additional details are available here.