On Monday, January 19, 2026 from 11:15 am to noon in Vaughn Chapel, the Ferrum College campus and community will come together to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The keynote speaker for this event, Dr. Melvin Macklin, will talk about “The Making of a Dream.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a National Day of Service and a powerful call to action to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy of justice, equality, and nonviolent service, and to commit ourselves to his vision of the Beloved Community.
Dr. Macklin served in the United States Army as a Sergeant and Radio Communications Specialist from 1965 to 1969, including service in Germany and Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. He later earned his Ph.D. in Literary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2008, becoming the first recipient of the university’s Certificate in Holocaust Studies. He has taught in Ferrum College’s English Department since 2008 and was named professor emeritus in 2021; he continues to teach part-time.
His teaching and scholarship focus on Holocaust studies, African American literature, and slave narratives, and he has authored several works on African American history and culture. Throughout more than fifty years in education, Dr. Macklin has remained dedicated to continual self-improvement and to affirming, in the spirit of Dr. King, the dream and vision of a more just world.
Dr. Macklin will share firsthand experience, educate, and empower every member of our community. Please plan to join us for this insightful program and time of reflection.
Photo of Vaughn Chapel by Dr. Bob Pohlad.
