2026 MLK Celebration

MLK Week Featured Film | 5:30 p.m. | 1890 Theatre

4 Little Girls

On September 15, 1963, a bomb destroyed a black church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four young girls who were there for Sunday school. It was a crime that shocked the nation--and a defining moment in the history of the civil-rights movement. Spike Lee re-examines the full story of the bombing, including a revealing interview with former Alabama Governor George Wallace.

MLK Week Chapel Service | 10:00 a.m. | JAAC Chapel

Keynote Speaker – Dr. Agenia Clark, President of Fisk University

Dr. Agenia W. Clark currently serves as the eighteenth president of Fisk University, Nashville’s oldest institution of higher learning, where she is leading a transformative vision for the university’s next 150 years. With a focus on sustained growth, Dr. Clark is committed to strengthening a campus culture of inclusion, intellectual exploration, and social responsibility. Under her leadership, Fisk continues to build on its legacy of empowering students to become agents of positive change, fostering an environment where diverse voices are uplifted, and the pursuit of justice and understanding is woven into the educational experience.

Throughout her career, Dr. Clark has been a powerful advocate for unity and community impact. In her 19 years as CEO of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, she championed the development of young leaders by building a culture of empathy, collaboration, and respect—values she brings to her role at Fisk. Dr. Clark’s work reflects a deep-seated belief in the potential of education to bridge divides and create lasting, positive change.

In addition to her work at Fisk and with the Girl Scouts, Dr. Clark has served on the Board of Directors for First Bank for the past seven years. She has also been widely recognized for her contributions to the Nashville community, including being named “Nashvillian of the Year” in 2021, and from 2015 to 2023, one of “Nashville’s 100 Most Powerful People” by the Nashville Business Journal.

Dr. Clark earned a B.S. and MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her Doctorate in Leadership from Vanderbilt University.

Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Nashville has been home to Dr. Clark for the past 30 years. Dr. Clark and her husband Charles Clark Jr. have two adult children and reside in Brentwood, Tennessee.

The Common Threads of Division – A Panel Discussion | 11:00 a.m. | McWhorter 110

Topic for Discussion: A look at the rise of antisemitic and racist attitudes, thoughts, and behavior in modern-day America with added historical perspectives from the Civil Rights era. This panel discussion will feature members of the Jewish and African American communities representing multiple generations.

2026 MLK Joint Day of Service | 11:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Kean Hall (on the campus of Tennessee State University)

Join Nashville college students, faculty, and staff in honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. King in a day of learning, action, and reflection. The Equity Alliance will be facilitating this year's program in the morning. Participants will then go out into the community to serve at over 20 service sites around the city! Pizza and t-shirts provided (while supplies last). Bus transportation will be provided to/from Belmont and to/from service sites. Registration opens Jan 5th!

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