Central College honored Martin Luther King Jr. Day with service and arts events yesterday.

Gateway Dance Theatre of Des Moines led an 11 a.m. performance in Cox-Snow Recital Hall. Then students, faculty and staff assembled water sanitation kits in the Maytag Student Center.

Director of Community-Based Learning Cheri Doane tells KNIA/KRLS News the project reflected a message shared by Dr. King.

“MLK events are appropriate for service events, because what MLK stood for was justice,” she says.

Central’s MLK Day activities are sponsored by student development, intercultural educators, sustainability education and community-based learning.

On March 22, 1967, King came to Central College and urged more than 1,300 listeners overflowing from Central’s gymnasium to believe that positive change — and progress toward social equality — can occur through courageous individuals.