January 16, 2026
Deciding that she would rather celebrate his birth and achievements rather than focus on his death, our founder, Margaret Walker, sponsored one of the first birthday convocations for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 12, 1969, at Jackson State University.
As part of Dr. Alexander's legacy, the Margaret Walker Center continues this annual event. Our 58th convocation will take place at 10:00 a.m. on January 16th, 2026, in the Rose McCoy Auditorium at Jackson State University. We are pleased to announce that our keynote speaker will be Dr. Daphne Chamberlain. The free program will also include words from JSU administrators and special guests, as well as performances from the JSU Chorale.
Our For My People Awards Luncheon will follow immediately after in the JSU Student Center Ballroom A. Tickets to purchase a lunch will be available online soon. We are proud this year to honor Dr. Chamberlain, Representative Zakiya Summers, former Representative Alyce Clarke, and the Mississippi Humanities Council with For My People Awards.