For information about previous conferences
please view: 2001, 2002 , 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. 2007

2008 will be the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In honor of his work and in commemoration of his passing, the Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, along with co-sponsor Whatcom Community College, are pleased to present the 10th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Conference. The event, marking a decade of community education and activism, will be held at Whatcom Community College’s Syre Center,. The theme for this year’s conference is “Breaking the Silence” and was inspired by Dr. King’s pivotal speech “A Time to Break Silence”, which was written in collaboration with this year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Vincent Harding.

Dr. Vincent Harding
Dr. Harding worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr., and as an influential leader of the civil rights and broader freedom movements, helped establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Congress of Racial Equality. Dr. Harding has had a distinguished career as a professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania, Spellman College, and Temple University, among others. Dr. Harding currently serves as co-chair of the Veterans of Hope Project, located at the Iliff school of Theology in Denver, where he also holds the position of Vice President of Institutional Transformation. Dr. Harding is the author of over a dozen volumes on African American History and the Civil Rights Movement, including There Is a River: The Black Struggle for Freedom in America and We Must Keep Going: Martin Luther King and the Future of America.

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Registration begins at 9:30AM, with the opening ceremony and keynote address at 10AM. Workshops will run throughout the day. The conference is FREE and open to all community members. Accommodations include childcare for those 2 years and older (pre-registration required), parking and light refreshments. Sign language interpreters will be available. Please contact the office at (360) 733-2233 or whrtf@whrtf.org with any questions.
The Whatcom Human Rights Task Force is a local non-profit volunteer organization committed to educating the community, honoring diversity, and identifying commonalities.

This year’s workshops are set up in three interconnected tracks:
Educator Track
The Educator Track will include workshops and training designed specifically for a multicultural approach to education. The event is being supported by the Bellingham School District and the Woodring College of Education. Seven continuing education clock hours are available for educators.

Youth Track
The Youth Track will feature presentations both for and BY local area students, including a county-wide Youth Summit.

Community Track.
The Community Track will offer “general interest” workshops, discussion forums, and presentations. The intention of the conference is to provide a safe and neutral space wherein all interested parties can learn and share ideas about human rights, education and democracy.

Teachers attending this year’s conference will be eligible to receive clock hours for their participation.
No advanced registration needed.
The conference is FREE and is open to ALL community members.
Free accommodations include child care and parking.
Sign language interpreter will be provided if requested by Jan 9th.
Please contact the WHRTF office at 360-733-2233.