Manchester University to host historian for MLK Commemoration program
North Manchester, IN (01/19/2026) — Manchester University will host James Kelly, Ph.D., historian and historical interpreter at the Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, for his presentation, "Reckoning with the Past: Museums, Memory, and the Moral Vision of Dr. King," on Monday, Feb. 2.
The program will be held at 11 a.m. in Wine Recital Hall. It is free and open to the public.
Kelly is a historian, film consultant, lecturer and former community college administrator. His work focuses on the intersections of slavery, public memory and the Civil War. His research has been featured in documentaries and major motion pictures like "The Free State of Jones," "Emancipation" and the television series "Mysteries at the Museum," as well as media outlets including "60 Minutes," National Geographic, Smithsonian, National Public Radio and the BBC. He currently serves as a researcher and historical interpreter at the Whitney Plantation near New Orleans.
The Whitney Plantation is a nonprofit museum dedicated to educating the public about the history of slavery from the perspective of enslaved persons. It was operated as a sugar, indigo and rice plantation from 1752-1975. More than a dozen structures are preserved there, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Learn more at whitneyplantation.org.
This presentation is sponsored by the Dr. Everett L. Refior Lectureship in Establishing Peace Through Enforceable World Law. Refior lectures at Manchester highlight the efforts of global citizens working together to abolish war, protect rights and freedoms, and solve the problems facing humanity that no one nation can solve alone. The event commemorates the 1968 visit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Manchester's campus-his last campus visit before his assassination two months later.
For the media
For more information, contact Katy Gray Brown, professor of peace studies and philosophy, at KLGrayBrown@manchester.edu.
Manchester University, in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers vibrant and transformative student experiences. Learn more at www.manchester.edu/about-manchester.
Manchester University respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.
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Chloe Leckrone, cnleckrone@manchester.eduShare this Story
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