In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion held a viewing of the HBO documentary “King of the Wilderness” on Jan. 18 in the Student Theatre in the Sharwan Smith Student Center.
The attendance for the event was devastatingly low.
With only four back-row viewers in attendance, the audience was a hollow shell of empty chairs. It was a true shame so few people attended the event.
The documentary was created for the remembrance of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. It showcased some never-before-seen photographs and films of King, both working and enjoying regular life. The film also included interviews with those who had worked with him, speaking of his life, anguish and guilt in the 18 months leading up to the end of his life.
Not only did it show the intricate political life of King but also the personal way he affected all of those around him. In 2019, the film won an Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary.
“I don’t think anybody understands what happened in the final years of Dr. King’s life,” said Andrew Young in the film. “Everybody is trying to figure it out politically or economically and it was a spiritual phenomenon that I’m just beginning to realize.”
There was not a dry eye among those in attendance, which leads to the question: why was the attendance so low?
More information on events similar to this one can be found here and more information on the Center for Diversity and Inclusion can be found here. “King in the Wilderness” available to stream online at HBO.com.
Article and Photograph by Audrey Gee
