Dyson, who is the Ida B. Wells-Barnett University Professor at DePaul University, has been hailed for both his intellectual acuity and rhetorical gifts. His 1993 book, "Reflecting Black: African-American Culture Criticism," won the Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights Award, and its 1994 follow-up, "Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X," was named Notable Book of 1994 by both The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. "I May Not Get There With
You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr." was published by the Free Press in January 2000.

His commentary on American culture has prompted appearances on television shows such as "Good Morning, America", "Oprah" and National Public Radio.

Dyson earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Carson-Newman College and his master's and doctoral degrees in religion from Princeton University. He has been a faculty member at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Brown University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Columbia University.

For more information about Martin Luther King Day at Berea College, contact the Black Cultural Center at (859) 985-314