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A hometown hero and a distinguished Michiganian helped Albion College honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., at the College's annual MLK Convocation, presented to an audience of several hundred people in the College's Goodrich Chapel.

U.S. appellate court judge Damon Keith, an important legal figure in the civil rights movement during the past 50 years, was honored with an honorary doctorate.  Keith acknowledged that he has legislated for much of his career with King's inspiration, especially this quote: "Conscience must ask the question, 'Is it right?'"

U.S. Appellate court judge Damon Keith greets the audience after accepting an honorary doctorate from Albion College, with history professor Wes Dick and president Peter Mitchell looking on.  Below, the Albion College Choir led convocation participants in song.

Jess Womack, '65, recalled hearing King speak in Goodrich while he was a student at Albion.  Womack, who currently serves as associate general counsel to the Los Angeles Unified School District, credited King and his liberal arts education with teaching him to reject the personal lessons he'd learned about racism.  "The knowledge that humans evolved in Africa, and that my ancestors' history mattered, liberated me," he explained. 

Later service with the Peace Corps in Africa and the U.S. military in Vietnam helped to emphasize an understanding of equality and justice that Womack has embraced throughout his professional law career. The "full circle" of this lifelong journey was completed -- although not ended -- Womack said, with his return to Albion and his opportunity in turn to inspire students in their work for justice.

This is a pluralistic world, religiously, racially, politically, culturally, and it drives us toward different points of view," Womack stated. "Let us always remember that at the end of the day, at the end of this dispute, there will be an impact on someone’s humanity. Let us be fair. Let us be just."