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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1998)
SPORTS Flippin’ the Berg Nebraska junior diver Danny Bergman may be known as a wild and crazy guy, but his dives are anything but wacky. PAGE 7 A&E What about Bob? Bob Hall, a comic book artist who is now work ing on a Batman story, recently discovered that life does imitate art. PAGE 9 TUESDAY January 20, 1998 Snow Business Snow likely, high 28. Chance of snow tonight, low 20. VOL. 97 COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 83 “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” Martin Luther King Jr. Ryan Soderlin/DN MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER JESSIE MYLES portrays Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lied Center for Performing Arts Monday. Myles performed his speech “I Stand in a Nation” using the speaking style of King. Convocation honors King legacy ■ Community members and students celebrate King’s legacy at a University Convocation. By Lindsay Young Assignment Reporter The final line of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech resonated through the Lied Center for Performing Arts. “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” King’s speech, sentence by sentence, was recited by nine local high school stu dents of different backgrounds and races. They spoke to a crowd of about 1,100, which was just as diverse. It included col lege and high school students, families with young children and adults who lived through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The speech was given while black-and white slides of the violence and drama of the civil rights struggle flashed on a screen at the University Convocation. The convocation was sponsored by the Youth Rally, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The presentations featured the Lincoln High School chorus, Voices of Destiny; a keynote speech by Lela Shanks; and a moti vational speech by Jessie Myles, who was introduced as Martin Luther King Jr. Shanks, a speaker for the Nebraska Humanities Council and part of the civil rights movement since 1950, told the audi ence the university should observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a legal holiday. Please see KING on 6 On the back page: 8 Students and community members march for King 8 Campus groups gather to promote understanding 8 Speaker says King’s goals need present-day translation 8 Poignant quotes from holiday participants Students use day to observe King’s ideas By Brad Davis Senior Reporter Although class was held Monday at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, many students still took the opportunity to participate in activi ties commemorating the life and struggles of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. “I think (the scheduled activities) are really neat,” freshman Rebecca Sather said, “but we should have gotten out of classes.” She said her professors were flexible in letting students attend activities scheduled across cam pus all day. Freshman Jeremy Engelberg said he attended only one event because he didn't want to miss any classes. “Even though I've had days off m the past, I never really knew why,” Engelberg said. “I want ed to be more informed about the things Martin Luther King has done. “I don’t think I’ve been well-educated (in the past).” Freshman Ted Jedlicka said the events could have been publicized better, although he liked the ones he had seen, such as James VanDerZee’s photo exhibit at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. “Fm really impressed with the photographer,” Jedlicka said. “He really captured a lot of the good features of the African-American culture. “I don’t see no pictures of the Black Panther party, no firefighters spraying their hoses - I see happy families and Cassius Clay.” Jedlicka said black culture is often negatively portrayed. “Not enough people see the positive side of it,” he said. Senior Tagi Adams said speaker Lela Shanks’ speech during the convocation at the Lied Center for Performing Arts called the university to action. “I would have liked to have heard (Chancellor James) Moeser’s comments about Lela Shanks' recommendations for the university,” Adams said. Adams said Shanks called for diversity educa tion and a more ethnically sensitive faculty and student body. “As an ethnic student,” Adams said, “I think it would be great to go to a university that has ethni cally sensitive students, faculty and administra tion.” Gas prices near dollar mark By Josh Funk Senior Reporter Nebraska drivers are getting more gas for their greenbacks. Some of the lowest crude-oil prices in years finally have brought gasoline prices near the dollar mark again. In Nebraska, average gasoline prices have dropped 5lA cents per gallon in the last month, according to American Automobile Association Nebraska. Gas prices have been as low as 96 cents in some Nebraska cities and have an average statewide cost of S1.06. Those who monitor gas prices said a change in oil supply and other factors have contributed to the lower prices. An oversupply of crude oil in the world market lowered the price of oil, said Rose White, AAA Nebraska’s public affairs direc tor. She said the opening of new oil fields in the former Soviet Union has created optimism about the supply and therefore the price of oil. Nebraska’s mild winter also has helped keep gas prices low, she said, because the demand for heating oil and other crude oil products is down. Some gas stations may be trying to attract more business with lower prices, too, said Chuck Perdew, head of gasoline distribution at Please see GAS on 3 Pump it up Average gas prices in Nebraska have dropped to just over $1 per gallon, with some residents paying only 96 cents. An oversupply of crude oil contributed to the lower prices. Hi Northwest $1.29 _! Southwest $1.20 Hi Northeast $1.19 ■ East $1.16 ■ Southeast $1.06 ■I Midwest $1.04 | Nebraska’s state average : $1.06 Source: The Pump Price Report Matt Haney/DN Read the Daily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at http:/ / www.unl.edu/DailyNeb
