Eastern Mennonite University will join a global bell-tolling ceremony on Wednesday, April 4, to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
At 7:05 EST, EMU community members will ring the bell outside Lehman Auditorium 39 times, symbolic of King’s years of life.
The ringing is part of a global commemoration ceremony organized by the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the site of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.
At the museum, the bells will ring at 6:01 CDT, the time when the fatal shot was fired.
Bells in the city of Memphis will ring two minutes later, followed by locations in the United States, synchronised across time zones at five minutes after the hour.
At seven minutes after the hour, bells will ring in major cities around the world: London, Berlin, Johannesburg, Athens, Moscow, Mumbai, Beijing and Tokyo.
The ceremony is designed to symbolize how “the news of King’s death was first known in Memphis and then rippled throughout the country and across the globe,” according to a museum press release.
“We invite churches in our community to join this commemoration or come to EMU for this solemn moment to acknowledge the loss of one of history’s greatest peacemakers,” said Professor Melody Pannell, chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
At EMU, the commemoration will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Thomas Plaza with readings, reflections and the singing of one of King’s favorite hymns, followed by tolling of the bells. EMU’s Campus Ministries and Black Student Union will host the event.
Earlier in the day, from 10-10:30 a.m. at the regular Wednesday chapel service in Lehman Auditorium, students and staff who participated in the second annual Civil Rights Tour over spring break will lead worship. They will be joined by the gospel choir.
Organizations who wish to join in the tolling or wish to view a livestream of the event can register with the National Civil Rights Museum.
This bell that will toll on April 4, was donated to EMU by my parents, Fred and Carolyn Augsburger. I am attaching a letter that was sent to my brother Sam Augsburger (EMU class of ‘ 81) by one of the African American children who grew up hearing this bell toll and the meaning she attached to it when thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This letter was in response to a post on Sam Augsburger’s blog, “Ring Them Bells,” on http://www.slicesofgod.com
Linda Augsburger Gingerich ’76 EMU
Samuel,
My name is Frances … I use to live in Youngstown one block from your families church (that your family lived in). I was introduced to the church because of the Dukes family. Shirley was one of my best friends and we still stay in touch. What a blessing your father is 95. I want to share my experience being touched by your father and mother as a young child that has impacted my life… In the attached email you have a link to a poem called “Ring them Bells”. If you recall your parents church had a bell with a long rope. When ever there were activities at the church someone would pull the rope. As a your child I belonged to a Baptist church on the Southside of town but times when my family did not go, I would go to church with Shirley. During the summer week days, I would hear the bell ring and we would stop playing baseball or kick ball in the field across from the church and go running so that we could be on time for summer vacation bible school. I could not wait to be reward for memorizing books of the bible or trying to win other small biblical contest so that I could receive a small blue new testament bible or a pencil or earned points to go to Church Camp or the best reward ever was to have a chance to “ring the bell”. When I look back at those times and reflect on Martin Luther King Day… Your parents never turned any of us (African American) children away or told us to go home and get cleaned up after playing in the field. We were accept just as we were.
So when you post “Ring them Bells”… I want to add that your father and mother rang the bell for “all children and all people” to come hear about Gods word and to learn. The ringing of the bell at your church represented the Unconditional Love and Compassion your father and mother had and the ringing of the bells from your families church is something through out my years I have shared with some many people because it is a part of my past and present.
I wish your family (all your sisters) peace!
Thank You.