The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service was more than just a day of giving for Mona Oliver, who also reflected on a forever life changing bus ride.

“I had one of those defining moments when you realize something that you had not before,” said Oliver.

That moment happened as Oliver was riding to downtown, Monroe and five African Americans got on the bus and sat at the front. The bus driver asked them to move and they wouldn’t.

“They were polite but they just refused to move,” said Oliver. “He turned to me and asked me if I wanted to get off the bus and I said no I’m fine.”

Oliver said she had ridden the bus before, but never knew things like that were actually happening in the country.

“I had heard a little bit about civil rights protests but you didn’t hear a lot about it around here,” said Oliver.

Oliver also said it “struck ” her to see that boys the same age as her were being treated differently. That’s when she became aware of the Civil Rights Movement “right here in Monroe.”

Oliver is a retired English professor and alumnus of ULM. She went here when it was called North East Louisiana State College. She said she is grateful for the progression in equal rights and still believes now what she believed then.

“If you’re an American you ought to be guaranteed the same rights as everyone else,” said Oliver.

ULM partnered with Delta Community College once again for the MLK Day of Service, in which they donated winter clothing to The Wellspring, a nonprofit organization.

Students, faculty, and Greek organizations gathered in Strauss Hall 270 to sort the clothes before taking them there. Isaac Hardman, Alpha Phi Alpha member, said he couldn’t think of anything better than a clothes drive.

“I think it’s fantastic. I think that more colleges should get more involved with the community and take more actions like this to show that we care,” said Hardman, sophomore risk management and insurance major.

Hardman also said everyone should be entitled to basic needs because he knows what it’s like to be without them.

“If you don’t have the basic necessities, you feel like no one’s on your side, no one’s looking out for the little guy,” said Hardman.

Hardman said it’s important for the residents of Wellspring to receive the winter clothes because it gives them hope. He also said we shouldn’t only strive for peace between the races, but for world peace too.

Pamela Saulsberry, interim director of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, said the MLK Day of Service is important for universities everywhere.

“It’s the opportunity to collectively teach students about the art of giving and an opportunity to educate well-rounded students,” said Saulsberry.

Saulsberry also said simple acts of kindness such as these are what Martin Luther King would want to see being done.

“I think he would be pleased,” said Saulsberry. “Anytime you do something for others I think that falls within the philosophy of Dr. martin Luther King.”

The Alphas and Deltas hosted a reenactment of the March on Washington last Tuesday in honor of Martin Luther King.

Students joined the fraternity and sorority members at the coliseum, where the walk began.

It ended in the quad, where students gathered around Alpha Phi Alpha member Javon Simms. Simms recited Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” and for him the speech had one overall message.

“Love thy neighbor as thyself is what I think the whole meaning was,” said Simms, sophomore kinesiology major.

Simm’s said he’s had the speech memorized since tenth grade. He said reciting it is a “humbling experience” and gives him the feeling that he was actually there.

He said he hopes other students walked away with more gratitude for the better opportunities we have.

“Some may be losing sight of the dream, but others still carry it on and maybe they can too,” said Simms.