Ottawa University

Dr. Albert Brinson Commemorates MLK on OU Campus
"We Are His Legacy; YOU Are His Legacy"

Dr. Snow talks with Dr. Albert Brinson, keynote speaker at Ottawa University's MLK, Jr. celebration, and former friend/collegue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself.

OTTAWA, Kansas -  On January 14 and 15, 2007, OU and the Ottawa community had the privilege of hearing a living civil rights legend, Reverend Dr. Albert Paul Brinson, speak on his friend and colleague, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the cause of freedom and equality they championed together.  Dr, Brinson then infused the lessons of yesterday into the lives of attending youth, reminding them that they are special, that they can make a difference, and challenging them to determine what mark they, like Dr. King, would make in their own history.   "We don't know what impact any of these young people might make on the world," said Dr. Brinson.  With a smile, he continued, "There might even be a future president here, and she doesn't have to be a white man."

Those remarks were made during the Martin Luther King, Jr. commemorative program hosted by the Ottawa Black Awareness Committee, Bethany Chapel Baptist Church, Ottawa University, and ECKAN on Sunday, January 14 at the OU Chapel.  Throughout his speech, Dr. Brinson provided the audience with vignettes of Dr. King's personal and political life, giving everyone a glimpse of the "gentle" man and his vision.

On January 15, Brinson was also the featured guest and speaker on the Ottawa University campus for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration.  A luncheon in the OU Mowbray Union allowed faculty, staff, students, and various members of the community to interact with Dr. Brinson one on one, and later in the day he spoke with students during a reception hosted by the Student Senate in the Union Haigh Room.

Dr. Brinson gave his final presentation to The College and community that evening, in the OU Chapel.  He spoke on civil disobedience and his first personal experience utilizing the resistance method that Dr. King advocated. 

"Years ago, I sat where you are sitting," Brinson told the audience.  "Only it was at Morehouse College in Atlanta at a time when people of color were not recognized as equal human beings."  Morehouse College was a private, all-male, historically black liberal arts college.  Stressing that it's at colleges and universities where ideas are tossed around and change is often initiated, Brinson went on to convey how he and a group of his peers, with the help of a number of college presidents, mobilized Atlanta's first sit-in at nine locations simultaneously around the city in 1960.

"It takes courage to change anything," said Dr. Brinson.  He then noted that it also takes a plan.  The group of students went to great lengths to gather information, train chosen individuals, devise a methodology, and prepare for consequences before carrying out their sit-in.   The plan was then initiated with a full-page ad in the Atlanta Constitution-Journal, paid for by the University, listing all of the areas of discrimination within the city.  The doctrine was titled "The Appeal for Human Rights."

On the day of the sit-in, Brinson's group, of which he was the spokesman, entered a restaurant across the street from the Atlanta Constitution-Journal and sat down.  "We were neatly dressed young people . . . We were trying to do everything right," he said.

The outcome was expected, however.  The restaurant manager refused to serve the group and they were arrested, as were the other eight groups around the city.  "That was the first stage of civil disobedience," said Brinson.

"It takes courage to believe in something so strongly that you will risk your safety," challenged the activist.  "It's important to find something you're willing to die for, but first, you need to find something you're willing to live for."

Dr. Brinson concluded the evening by saying, " This is a great time to be alive, especially on a college campus."

 Dr. Albert Brinson has been a pastor, speaker, teacher, activist, fundraiser, and most recently, World Mission Support General Secretary for the American Baptist Churches.  Brinson was ordained at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta, by co-pastors Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  His degrees include a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College, a Masters of Divinity from Interdenominational Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Divinity from United Theological Seminary.  His activism and service have earned him awards for outstanding contributions to Black History and for excellence in activities that promote the philosophy of Dr. King, Jr.  He has received commendation as a disciple of non-violence, a "ministerial son" of Dr. King, and in 1969, he had the honor of preaching at New York City's Riverside Church at the first city-wide memorial service commemorating Dr. King's assassination.  In 1994, Dr. Brinson traveled to South Africa to work with the Independent Electoral Commission, which resulted in the election of Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa.

Of the commemorative weekend, OU President Dr. Fred Snow said, "Few days are as important as this celebration.  We are honored to sponsor this event; it brings a tremendous amount of respect to the community and Ottawa University."

Founded in 1865, Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. Ottawa University's educational mission brings together a residential campus in Ottawa, Kansas, and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe, Arizona; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jeffersonville, Indiana; as well as multiple international instructional sites.  For more information, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/.

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