Gallery: 31st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Marc Lamont Hill, an award-winning journalist, host of HuffPost Live and a BET News and CNN political contributor, was the keynote speaker at the 31st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at Syracuse University. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Malik Evans, a junior marketing and advertising dual major who has worked on the celebration as a student representative since his freshman year, said there have been many additions to the MLK Celebration this year, including a ceremony on MLK Day. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

After Hill received a standing ovation that lasted almost a full minute for his speech, he was presented with a handcrafted disk created by an SU professor. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

The celebration included several performances ranging from dance to song. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

The Unsung Hero Awards were presented to five members of the SU community. Each person was introduced with a personalized video highlighting and explaining what work they do and why they deserved the award. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Women in colorful outfits performed dances at the celebration. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

The MLK Celebration included a dinner for guests. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Danielle Reed, the student speaker at the celebration, asked the event attendees to close their eyes and imagine a world without guns, prisons or jails. Reed said this imagined society is one that civil rights activists, educators and intellectuals like Hill dream of. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

The Black Celestial Choral Ensemble performed “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” — also known as the black national anthem — at the celebration. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

SU's annual MLK Celebration is the largest university-sponsored event in the United States to honor King's legacy. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Catherine Kellman, the chairwoman of the 2016 MLK Celebration committee, said the celebration began on MLK Day, when members of the SU community placed ribbons on the trees of the Quad in memory of King. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

About 2,000 people attended the 31st annual MLK Celebration. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Hill said King’s message and goal was beyond “sitting together like it’s a GAP commercial.” Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Black Legacy, an all-male a cappella group, sang their rendition of the popular song “Glory,” by John Legend at the celebration. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor

Spoken word poets and SU seniors Rianne Parker and Mariah Scott performed the poem “Say It Loud!” The poem critiqued the disparities between the pledge of allegiance and current issues facing black people in the U.S. Liam Sheehan | Asst. Photo Editor