ATU Observes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2025

ATU Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Silent March 2025
Members of the Arkansas Tech University Black Student Association lead a silent march on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2025.

Despite temperatures in the low 20s, dozens of Arkansas Tech University students, faculty and staff participated in a silent march celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday morning.

“The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and what he stood for…that’s the kind of leaders we want to be,” said Daveon Carter, an ATU senior from Conway. “He has provided all of this opportunity, and he had it worse coming up than we do. Even when things are hard, you can’t show defeat. You can’t show that you won’t do something just because it’s a little cold or it’s a little hot. No matter what, we’ve got to be able to push through.”

A federal holiday coinciding with King’s birthday has been observed since 1986. The ATU campuses in Russellville and Ozark were closed for the holiday and will re-open on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

The silent march was sponsored by the ATU Black Student Association and the ATU Office of Multicultural Student Services. Participants marched from Hindsman Tower to Doc Bryan Student Services Center.

“It’s a pretty big moment for a lot of people,” said Kadance Lane, an ATU senior from Malvern. “I want to show my support for my fellow students where I can. I don’t care that it’s cold because it’s for a good cause. It stands for something bigger than myself. It’s about staying true to yourself, striving for what you believe in and, for lack of better words, not listening to the people who try to knock you down. It’s about working toward something bigger than ourselves and for the good of everyone else.”