Campus organizations remember Martin Luther King Jr. several times throughout the year, but the anniversary of his death tends to be less of a focus.
Many black organizations on campus celebrate the birth and life of King on his birthday and during Black History Month, but there is lack of interest in commemorating his death, which was today in 1968.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center does not hold activities in remembrance of King's death because they want to focus on and remember his life, said Alex Wright, director of the center.
"We want to remember the good instead of the bad and focus on his life and accomplishments," Wright said.
Historically, black fraternities and sororities on campus refrain from having events for the same reasons, said Keishourd Miller, a member of Phi Beta Sigma.
"We prefer to celebrate his life and everything he did while he was living. Focusing on death would be looking at the bad instead of all the good," said Miller, a political science senior.
Some students think having some sort of commemoration would be important, but since it's not common practice, it might be difficult, said Courtney Joseph, president of Zeta Phi Beta.
"I think it would be great to remember the day of his death. We could even hold a candle-light vigil or watch some sort of movie on campus," said Joseph, a business sophomore. "More people should remember his death as well as his birthday and accomplishments during Black History Month."