Morrisville State College to Host Inspirational Presentation Featuring Historical, Dramatic Portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Morrisville State College will host an inspiring presentation, “Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” by award-winning author and actor, Barry Scott, on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. in the John W. Stewart Center for Student Activities (STUAC) theatre.



During the event, which is free and open to the public, Scott will discuss the Civil Rights Movement and will also portray King, recreating some of his most inspiring speeches.



Widely known for his successes as an actor, writer, producer and motivational speaker, Scott has toured the country presenting lectures on diversity and leadership. A native of Nashville, Tenn., he first began reciting King's speeches for churches and schools in Nashville.



Scott's dramatic performances often include wearing different clothes and using different accents in his portrayal of King, who was shot and killed in Memphis in 1968.



A graduate of Tennessee State University with a degree in speech communications and theatre, Scott is the founder and artistic director of the American Negro Playwright Theatre in Nashville.



Among Scott's accolades are performing excerpts of King's speeches for the Humanitarian Awards Ceremony honoring President Jimmy Carter in 1994, and performing the “I Have a Dream” and “I've Been to the Mountaintop” speeches on the March On album benefiting the National Civil Rights Museum.



Scott has recreated King's speeches in prominent venues including the Beacon Theater in New York, the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma.



A member of the Nashville Entertainment Association, the Nashville Film and Video Association, the Advisory Council of the Tennessee Arts Commission, and serving on the board of the Nashville Film Advisory Commission and Nashville Public Television, Scott's acting credits nationwide include the television shows, I'll Fly Away and In the Heat of the Night.



The event is sponsored in part by the Sheila Johnson Institute and the Student Government Organization (SGO).