Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

01/15/2024 

The following message was sent to the SUNY Cortland campus community on behalf of President Erik J. Bitterbaum

Dear campus community, 

I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which we celebrate Monday on what would have been Dr. King’s 95th birthday. 

Dr. King was a civil rights hero who remains one of the nation’s foremost leaders of racial and social justice. During the 1950s and 1960s, he inspired a broad-based, nonviolent movement that overcame strong opposition and violence to spur meaningful social and legislative change. 

We must remember that Dr. King’s lessons of freedom and tolerance remain relevant today, especially the belief that people everywhere, regardless of their skin color or creed, are members of the same human family. We must also remember to constantly guard against intolerance and hate, and that there always is work to do when it comes to loving and accepting others. 

I am very proud that our campus will continue its recognition of Abraham Lincoln DeMond 1889 Day, an event that started last year to celebrate SUNY Cortland’s first Black graduate. Rev. DeMond went on to become an influential pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, the same church from which Dr. King helped launch the civil rights movement. This is a truly special connection. 

This year’s DeMond Day event takes place Thursday, Feb. 1, and I hope you will attend. I look forward to seeing many of you in the weeks ahead and wish you well in your preparation for a new semester. 

All the best, 

Erik J. Bitterbaum 
President