Alabama State University News April 7, 2017 Walking in the Footsteps of Dr. King ASU marked the 49th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with events that included a discussion highlighting King's connection to the University. The names Charles Varner, Nelson Malden and Dr. Ralph Bryson may not be familiar to a national audience, but all three men played a part in the boycott that catapulted the nation into an unprecedented era of social change. Varner, Malden and Bryson were all participants in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. They came together on Wednesday, April 5, to take part in a panel discussion, titled "Walking in the Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." Varner was an ASU student at the time of the Boycott, Malden attended King's church and was his barber, and Bryson was a professor at ASU when he took part in the boycott. During the discussion, the men reflected on their memories of Dr. King and discussed his impact on their lives. The event, sponsored by ASU's National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture, was held to mark the 49th anniversary of King's assassination. It featured a discussion that highlighted King's "footsteps" on Alabama State University's campus, as well as an exhibit of artifacts that belonged to Dr. King. The lecture also featured Howard Ballou, son of Dr. King's secretary, Maude Ballou. The Ballou family previously donated a collection of her King-related memorabilia to the University. They include Ballou's daily notebook that chronicles King's different work-related appointments during the five years that she served as his personal secretary; letters to Ballou from Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks; and books signed by King. For more information about the National Center and the Ballou collection at ASU, call 334-229-8568. SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org/ sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org%3cmailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org>> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/