Martin Luther King Jr. Day video and community message

Today, as we observe the federal holiday marking what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 90th birthday, I would like to reaffirm UC Davis School of Law’s commitment to Dr. King’s social justice mission.

Fifty years ago this April, the Chief Justice of the United States, Earl Warren, helped christen the new UC Davis School of Law building as “Martin Luther King Jr. Hall.” The building’s name resulted from a petition that students, faculty and staff filed with the campus’ administration shortly after Dr. King’s assassination in 1968. They sought to honor Dr. King, and signal the law school’s commitment to inclusion, education and public service.

The building contains several reminders of the man whose name it carries. They include the sculpture by Lisa Reinertson that graces the lobby, and the quotations from his speeches adorning the walls of the second floor.

But King Hall’s tributes to Dr. King’s legacy go beyond physical symbols. They exist in UC Davis School of Law’s dedication to inclusion, as evidenced in its unique “majority-minority” faculty and national top-10 ranking for student diversity.

The principle of equal opportunity that was so fundamental to Dr. King’s message also fuels this law school’s programs. Our King Hall Outreach Program (KHOP), for example, helps prepare college students from underrepresented communities for the law school admissions process. This program was created so all qualified students can have access to a top-tier legal education.

By the same token, UC Davis Law emphasizes equal access to justice for all. Our students clock thousands of volunteer hours assisting those who otherwise could not afford counsel. And scores of UC Davis Law alumni have chosen careers in public service. From public defenders and district attorneys to judges and legislators, they enter their careers imbued with the values of King Hall.

The King Hall community can be proud of all it has accomplished in pursuit of Dr. King’s dream. Fifty years after the law school building was dedicated, his ideals are still our ideals, and we remain as determined as ever to achieve them.   In these turbulent times, Dr. King’s commitment to justice for all resonates as much today as it ever has.