POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with special commemorative events open to campus and community on Sunday, Jan. 31.

All are welcome to join students, faculty and staff for a community MLK Day "Marade" at 3 p.m.

Combining a march and a parade, this event is designed to be both a demonstration and a celebration, according to organizer Jodi L. Schneiderman.

"It would be an incredible symbolic gesture for the community to come out on Jan. 31 and walk not only to support our American hero, Martin Luther King Jr., but also to support the students of color who have chosen the North Country as the place to pursue their higher education," said Schneiderman.

The route will take participants on a walk that is slightly less than two miles, going downtown on sidewalks in the Village of Potsdam and through the streets of the SUNY Potsdam campus.

Banners will be available for participants to sign in the Barrington Student Union Lobby before they depart. Free parking is available in Lots 1 and 2.

All participants are welcome to attend a free reception in the Knowles Conference Center Lobby, from 4 to 5 p.m. There will be hot chocolate and cookies. The reception will feature a keynote address, a reflective piece by student leaders and a spoken word performance. Guests will be invited to sign a pledge to complete random acts of kindness throughout the week.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day events at SUNY Potsdam are sponsored by the Center for Diversity, the Office of Career Planning, the Educational Opportunity Program, SOCA LOCA and the Black Student Alliance.