Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dear Wake Forest community,

Today, families, communities, churches, and schools across our nation pause. We gather. We reflect. We donate. We pray. We plan. We act. 

As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I find myself returning to a specific moment in his ministry that resonates deeply with our work here at Wake Forest. In the spring of 1959, Dr. King addressed a crowd of 26,000 students who had marched on Washington, D.C., to urge the federal government to fully implement the Brown v. Board of Education decision and finally end school segregation.

Speaking to the thousands at the Youth March for Integrated Schools, many planning to  graduate in a few short months, Dr. King offered this advice:

“Whatever career you may choose for yourself — doctor, lawyer, teacher — let me propose an avocation to be pursued along with it. Become a dedicated fighter for civil rights. Make it a central part of your life. It will make you a better doctor, a better lawyer, a better teacher. It will enrich your spirit as nothing else possibly can. It will give you that rare sense of nobility that can only spring from love and selflessly helping your fellow man.”

Dr. King understood that the young people gathered that day would pursue a vast array of paths. He also understood that their capacity for goodness and impact was far-reaching, regardless of their chosen field, if they pursued that work with a passion for humanity. 

“Make a career of humanity,” he urged them. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

Looking at those courageous students, Dr. King knew he was speaking to the very people who would transform their communities and this nation. He saw that meaningful change would not only come from their presence at a single march, but from a lifetime of dedicated work and leadership—integrating their professional excellence with a relentless pursuit of justice.

My hope for the Wake Forest community — today and all days — is that we heed Dr. King’s words. No matter our personal or professional pursuits, let us dedicate our lives to goodness, justice, community, and love for all humanity. Making “a career of humanity” is more than an aspiration; it is the very core of our mission here at Wake Forest. It is Pro Humanitate.

Sincerely,

Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. 
President