10 things colleges & universities can do to honor MLK Jr.’s legacy

Every Martin Luther King Jr. Day, colleges and universities send out hollow statements about race, unity, and peace. They pluck the most convenient quotes, strip them of any context, charge, or political command, and use his words to present a sanitized and pacified version of his politics — one that allows these institutions to pat themselves on the back and leave unquestioned their own involvement in racism and other systems of injustice. Sure, there may be calls for reflection, or maybe even vapid promises to learn from MLK Jr. and ‘do better.’ But, ultimately, these institutions are more invested in lip service and maintaining an orderly presence rather than truly enacting justice.

Tired of the predictable posturing of higher education every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I’ve assembled a short list of 10 ways colleges and universities could honor Dr. King’s legacy if they truly gave a damn about his politics and social calls. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it would be a damn good start.

1 — End on-campus military recruitment

MLK Jr. was staunchly anti-war and internationalist, speaking out against the US’s violence in Vietnam. He understood the US military to be a tool of imperialism, enacting violence and exploiting the world in the…