BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Office of Religious and Spiritual Life are hosting three events in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
On Sunday, Jan. 15, the MLK Worship Service will begin at 11 a.m. in Wesley Chapel. Dr. Dedriell Taylor, vice president for institutional advancement and development, and Rev. Jonathan Acord, director of religious and spiritual life, will serve as speakers for this service. The community is invited.
On Monday, Jan. 16., celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. beginning at 6 p.m. with a dinner by Aladdin in the Benedum Campus Center Social Hall. Dr. Julius Bailey, will speak on Achieving Dr. King’s Beloved Community. Bailey will also speak from noon to 1 p.m. in the DEI Office on the second floor of the Benedum Campus Center. Part of the DEI Culture-To-Go series, Bailey will hold an informal discussion with students on the Philosophy of Love and Hip Hop Culture.
Bailey, born in Chicago, Illinois, studied at Howard University where he also received a Fulbright fellowship to study abroad. He later earned his Ph.D. in philosophy and education from the University of Illinois. Bailey teaches for the Department of Philosophy at Wittenberg University where he is also director of Pre-Law and Justice, Law and Public Policy.
Bailey has authored five books including the award-winning “Racial Realities and Post-Racial Dreams: The Age of Obama and Beyond” and most recently “Racism, Hypocrisy and Bad Faith” A Moral Challenge to the America I love.”
Bailey also hosts an online radio show, “Straight No Chaser with Dr. Julius Bailey” through which he provides insight and guidance on social change.”
Prior to his teaching career at Wittenberg University, Bailey taught at Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio), Fresno State University (California), Lewis University (Illinois) and Millikin University (Illinois). He is the education director for Youth with a Positive Direction, one of Illinois’ after-school gems that provides positive outlets for at-risk youth. Finally, he also founded the award-winning Project Eight, another intervention-based youth service program. Bailey is a highly sought-after diversity trainer, consulting in both the public and private sectors to help address long-standing issues of systemic racism, structural inequality and incarceration politics.
