Black Law Student Association Raises Funds for Haitian Victims and MLK Memorial

Devastation continues to unfold in the wake of the massive earthquake that struck Haiti.  The death toll continues to mount.  But there is something we can do as a community.  The Black Law Student Association (BLSA), is pairing a fundraiser for relief efforts in Haiti with its Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. national monument fundraiser that had already been planned.  Both fundraisers start Thursday, January 14, and run through Sunday, January 24. Franklin Pierce Law Center has agreed to match the first $200 in funds raised for the Haiti Relief Effort.

Along with the Haiti fundraiser is a fundraiser for the building of a national monument in Washington, D.C. to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message of peace and equality. Following the lead of major donors such as Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, the National Basketball Association, AT&T, Verizon, and Disney, the Black Law Student Association, in collaboration with Pierce Law’s library, is also raising funds for this cause and to celebrate Dr. King's legacy around his holiday.  

“I am extremely excited to honor this champion for peace and to participate in a project that will honor this great man and acknowledge his sacrifice and promote his inspiring message of nonviolence and peace to a whole new generation.” said Paul Roberson, Parliamentarian of BLSA. 

The library has set up a laptop at the circulation desk for people to go online to make donations toward the building of the monument.  A display of books and other memorabilia have also been set up in the library to commemorate Dr. King's life.

Situated on a four – acre site along the Tidal Basin, the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial will be adjacent to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial and on a direct line between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. The centerpiece of the Memorial will be a towering stone sculpture of Dr. King, called the 'Stone of Hope.' “Surrounding niches offer stirring, panoramic views and privacy for quiet reflection,” according to literature on the monument.