Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Wilmington, N.C. – Actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover will perform as part of the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He will present "An Evening with Langston and Martin" as part of the program to honor King at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 in Kenan Auditorium.

"Mr. Glover's presentation is an appropriate piece to celebrate the principles and legacy of Dr. King, using his words and those of the Negro Poet Laureate, Langston Hughes," said Debra Saunders-White, interim vice chancellor for institutional diversity. "'An Evening with Langston and Martin' promises to be a powerful and moving program. We are pleased to share this presentation with our students, faculty, staff and the local community."

Admission to the event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets must be picked up in person and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office. Individuals will be limited to two tickets each and it is recommended that people pick up tickets well in advance as the performance is likely to be "sold out."

Tickets will be available immediately for UNCW students, faculty and staff. They will be made available to the general public on Monday, Jan. 14. For further ticketing information, call the box office at 910.962.3500 or 800.732.3643.

A native of San Francisco, Glover is deeply involved in the Vanguard Public Foundation, which is based there. He also actively serves on the board of The Algebra Project, a math empowerment program developed by civil rights veteran Bob Moses. Internationally, he served as the United Nations Development Program Ambassador from 1998 to 2004, focusing on issues of poverty, disease and economic underdevelopment in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. In recognition of his lifetime dedication to public service, Glover was honored with the 2003 NAACP Chairman's Award and the 2006 Director's Guild of America Honors.

Glover has been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 25 years. As an actor, his film credits range from the blockbuster "Lethal Weapon" franchise to smaller independent features, some of which Glover has produced. At the same time, he has gained respect for his wide-ranging community activism and philanthropic efforts, with a particular emphasis on advocacy for economic justice, and access to health care and education programs in the United States and Africa.

"Through his community activism and service, as well as through this artistic performance, Danny Glover is helping to keep Dr. King's dream alive," said Saunders-White.

Media contact:

Dana Fischetti, manager of news and media relations, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu