Bri Becerra
Features Editor
To celebrate the lifelong work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The College of Wooster hosted several events throughout the week inspired by the phrase “Reframing Justice.” Many of these events were “Justice Dialogues,” which were proposed and led by students and faculty. The Justice Dialogues focused on issues of equity and social change, inspired by Dr. King’s vision for radical change in the name of equality.On Thursday, Jan. 18, history major Miriam Harley ’24 and professor Jordan Biro Walters of the history department led a session titled “Monumental Justice: Honoring History on Campus.” This Justice Dialogue focused on the role that monuments play in commemorating people and events, exploring how they can be used to enact social justice.
Harley and Walters discussed the Civil Rights Movement and the lack of monuments dedicated to Black leaders throughout the United States. They also highlighted recent debates about tearing down Confederate monuments, giving attendees time to ponder data showing the over 2,000 Confederate memorials that stand in the country today.
This Justice Dialogue encouraged attendees to consider the role that art and monuments can play on Wooster’s campus, provoking discussions about changes that students and faculty would like to see. Harley felt a special connection to this topic and credited two courses she took last semester, Public History and Modern Black Freedom Movements, for inspiring the creation of this Dialogue.
She feels hopeful about the turnout of the session.The discussion led to many new ideas and questions about the importance of highlighting the legacy of Wooster students who participated in the Civil Rights Movement.
“I really hope that [the] administration will listen to students more and realize that we want to see our history and our actions [portrayed] on this campus,” said Harley.
This Justice Dialogue was just one of many events held during the week to encourage students to reflect upon what “Reframing Justice” means to them.