Federal judge Jerry W. Blackwell, who took to the pulpit at Duke Chapel, brought forth a call for healing and unity in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to a recent service recap. The service, acknowledging King's enduring legacy and the looming fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder by police, was part of Duke University's observance under the theme "Hope Powered by Community: Protecting King's Dream Through Determination and Unity."
Having been appointed as a federal judge by President Joe Biden, Blackwell, known prior for his legal prowess, echoed the words, "E Pluribus Unum,” which translates to "out of many, one." Against the political and racial rifts widening across the country, these words resonated with weight at the Sunday commemoration.
Duke University's annual event, which fell nearly 60 years after King's assassination, did not only look back on the civil rights leader's truncated journey but also reflected on the contemporary social chasms that have beset the nation. King, a voice for nonviolent protest and equality, was slain on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, which was reported by Duke Today.
