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The PUC Church resonated with powerful words as David Anthony Johnson addressed students during a special Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service. The event, held in the sanctuary on Thursday morning, Jan. 11, as part of the Community Speakers Series, was dedicated to honoring King鈥檚 legacy. 

The event began with a warm welcome and prayer from Religious Vice President Ashley Castro-Rodriguez. Vice President for Student & Spiritual Life Ryan Smith also welcomed students back for the beginning of the winter quarter. 

Before showing a short video about the life of King, Smith said he is often remembered for the Civil Rights Movement and getting Black people to vote. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 so much more than that,鈥� he added. 鈥淐ivil rights was important to so many groups within our country.鈥�

Although Johnson is a familiar figure at PUC, it鈥檚 been nine years since he last spoke at the college. An accomplished orator and gospel singer, Johnson has been motivating students worldwide, guiding them to use their talents for positive impact in communities.

Johnson鈥檚 talk focused on 鈥渢he three Moseses,鈥� drawing parallels between Moses in the Bible, Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He shared reflections about his childhood in St. Louis and how he was profoundly impacted by his mother, his great-aunt, and great-grandmother鈥攚hose father had been enslaved in Tennessee before the Civil War. These women instilled in Johnson a love for singing and a deep connection to his heritage.

As Johnson sang several lines from well-known spirituals, including 鈥淒own by the Riverside鈥� and 鈥淪wing Low, Sweet Chariot,鈥� he explained how these songs served as coded messages for enslaved people seeking freedom. He also revealed that some enslaved people put codes into the quilts they made and even braided them into women鈥檚 hair.

Johnson said the third Moses, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 鈥渟tood on the shoulders of the first two.鈥� He emphasized King鈥檚 dedication to civil rights through love and pacifism鈥攊nspired by Indian pacifist and leader Mahatma Gandhi.

Beyond the famous 鈥淚 Have a Dream鈥� speech, Johnson highlighted one of King鈥檚 lesser-known sermons, 鈥淭he Drum Major Instinct,鈥� delivered to his congregation in Atlanta two months to the day before his assassination in 1968. In this sermon, King encouraged his parishioners to seek greatness through service, humility, and love.

Johnson told the students that near the end of his sermon, King expressed a desire to be remembered for serving others and not for his material accomplishments.

鈥淗e delivered his own eulogy,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淗e preached the 鈥楧rum Major Instinct.鈥� We want to be first. True love comes by serving others.鈥�

Johnson passionately delivered the conclusion of King鈥檚 sermon in the style and manner of the late civil rights leader.

鈥淵es, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind.鈥�

In closing, Johnson encouraged PUC students, faculty, and staff to emulate that pattern of selfless love. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the message of Dr. King,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 the message of our Savior.鈥�