Dear Longhorns,

Our University strives to impact the world in ways that bring about fundamental, transformational change. As we all consider the impact we want to make, one of the greatest examples we could follow is the person our country will honor on Monday: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I encourage you to use Monday’s break from classes to reflect on the ways that Dr. King leveraged his incredible gifts to push society toward greater justice and fairness for all people. It is also a time for us to think about the types of actions that we can each take to further the causes that Dr. King championed.

The statue of Dr. King on the East Mall honors his remarkable life, thanks in part to the Longhorn students who pushed for the statue between 1987 and 1999. That statue and those 12 years remind us both of the continued arc of positive change, and that big changes often take time. Two of the newest changes on our campus are underway. Outside of Painter Hall, the Heman Marion Sweatt celebrated entrance is under construction, in tribute to the courageous actions that desegregated the UT Law School. As renovation of the East Mall continues to evolve, it will also soon pay tribute to another group of Longhorns inspired by Dr. King: the Precursors, UT’s first generation of Black students. Like Dr. King, the Precursors boldly fought for equality and changed the course of history on the Forty Acres. We are excited about these changes, which will tell important stories while also providing inspiration for our own future actions.

Dr. King famously said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” Monday is a time to honor Dr. King and remember the Longhorns who have carried his work forward. Most importantly, let us all commit to doing what is right for our Longhorn community and for the world beyond the Forty Acres.

Sincerely yours,

Jay Hartzell
President