Despite New Hampshire's refusal to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the College has celebrated the federal holiday for the last four years by suspending classes for a day.
Aside from yesterday, the only national holidays the College observes are the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving . On other national holidays, including Veteran's Day and Memorial Day, students have normal class schedules.
Though most students do not argue with the choice to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, not everyone agrees with the College's selection policy.
"I think the College should be consistent with whatever holiday policy it chooses to pursue," 1995 Class President Tim Rodenberger said. "The College must ask itself whether canceling classes adds anything to the appreciation of the holiday."
Neisha Powells '95, executive committee member of the Afro-American Society and one of the students who helped plan yesterday's events said she thinks it is difficult to choose one holiday over the others.
"I think they're making an attempt to be more accepting of the diversity on campus," she said. King "should be remembered ... but it's hard to say whether one holiday is more important than another holiday."
But the College is not alone in its selective recognition.
"Outside of a state run school, you won't find many schools that give you President's Day or Veteran's Day off," said Associate Dean of Freshmen Anthony Tillman, who chaired the committee that planned yesterday's events.
"Most places do celebrate [King's] birthday ... as a remembrance of what he was doing ... to take Americans to a higher level of consciousness," Tillman said.
But Tillman said he thinks the College should also recognize other holidays.
"I would want to see some kind of gesture by the College to make some kind of recognition of [Veteran's Day]," he said. "Those men and women who served and died ... deserve that kind of respect."
Powells said she believes otherwise. "There are very few people who celebrate [Memorial Day and Veteran's Day] anyway ," she said. "I don't see a lot of parties or get togethers ... I don't see many American people in general celebrating those days."
AAm President Zola Mashariki '94 also supported today's celebration.
"I'm very glad to see that it is continuing ... I think it's a very important statement to make ... It's important to make everyone feel that Dartmouth is home," she said.
Mashariki said "Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is not and should not be conceived to be a black holiday ... it does have a message that is very specific to everybody."
"The candlelight vigil ... should be a very important time for everyone at Dartmouth to get together and celebrate the day," Bazin said. "If we have more people from the mainstream come to the candlelight vigil ... it will have much more significance than if we just have people from the AAm."
Powells said she wished more students would attend the day's events, but only if they really want to be there.
The College has recognized Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for 16 years, although the class schedule has only been affected for the last four years, Mashariki said.
Even though today is an official College holiday, it is not technically a day off, as classes are moved, not canceled.
"It is misleading to suggest that the College gives the day off. It's really not a day off, so to speak," Tillman said.
All College staff reported to work yesterday, although supervisors are encouraged to allow staff to attend the events.
Class schedules are determined by the Dean of Faculty and the Registrar, Tillman said. Faculty approval is needed to cancel classes for a day.
New Hampshire remains the only state that does not acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr. Day, instead celebrating Civil Rights Day, a decision that has caused dissent locally and nationally.
"It is very important to recognize and attempt to fully understand the message that the state of New Hampshire transmits to the nation and world by its consistent refusal to recognize the birthday of [King]," Tillman said. "Calling the day Civil Rights Day totally misses the point."
But state politicians disagree. New Hampshire Governor Stephen Merrill told the Boston Globe, "I simply feel that a Civil Rights Day does in fact meet the legitimate needs of the people of New Hampshire and the concern of those on both sides of the issue."
