Wayne State University held its tribute to the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.

“Women of the Movement: Then and Now,” honored the lives of three women who lost their husbands to assassinations during the Civil Rights Movement and recalled how they remained in the movement and forged their own legacies. These women are Coretta Scott King, the widow of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X; and Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of Medgar Evers. Their lives and legacies represent the “then.”

The “now” recognizes the role present-day women have as they continue to dedicate their work to ensuring civil rights for all. The keynote speaker was Dr. Keisha N. Blain, one of the most innovative and influential young historians of her generation. Blain is a professor of Africana studies and history at Brown University, was a columnist for MSNBC and is a former president of the African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS). She is the 2022 recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship and a 2022 Andrew Carnegie Fellow.

The tribute featured dynamic performances by the Black Theatre and Dance Collective; jessica Care moore, WSU alumna, Detroit poet laureate, and nationally acclaimed author and performance artist; the WSU Concert Chorale; and the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences Show Choir.

The Dr. Arthur L. Johnson Community Leadership Award was presented to WSU alumna Dawn N. Ison, former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.