With the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, organizations and institutions across the country will soon celebrate the life and legacy of one of the most influential civil rights leaders in history. And on the campus of Central Methodist University, that celebration will once again take the form of the annual MLK Luncheon.
Sponsored by the African American Student Union (AASU) and Office of Student Development, the event will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, January 20, on the fourth floor of the Inman Student and Community Center. The general public is invited, and a catered lunch from Fresh Ideas will be served for $5 per person (free for CMU students, staff, and faculty). To make a reservation, call 660-248-6234 or email mfreese@centralmethodist.edu.
A pair of influential members of the Fayette community and CMU alumni will be on hand for the event. Mike Jackman, ’79, is slated to be the featured speaker, while his brother Tim Jackman, ’81, has been selected to receive this year’s Lea Tindall Memorial Award.
The award is presented by AASU, which helps to choose a recipient who has demonstrated a commitment to and passion for serving others in the spirit of Dr. King and is worthy of honoring the memory and legacy of Lealure Tindall. Tindall, who passed away in 2017, worked at CMU from 2003 to 2017 and was the staff sponsor of AASU at its inception.
Tim Jackman is a current member of the CMU Board of Trustees, in addition to serving as the interim president and CEO of Previsor, a subsidiary of Missouri Employers Mutual in Columbia. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from CMU, he went on to work 14 years with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, serving in various positions in multiline claims management.
An active member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Tim has served in numerous capacities in the church, including formerly as Administrative Council Chair. He serves or has served on numerous other boards and committees, and for the past 20 years has been the coordinator of the annual Juneteenth Celebration in Fayette. Juneteenth is a celebration of the abolition of African-American slavery in Texas, named for the day in 1865 – June 19th – that the emancipation was proclaimed.
The Fayette celebration typically spans multiple days of activities, including a parade and other events on the square. AASU is also involved in the event and raises funds at each summer’s celebration for more activities during the school year.
Mike Jackman was among the grand marshals at the most recent Juneteenth parade in 2019. Also a member of St. Paul UMC, he is a lifelong resident of Fayette and is a past president and member of the Fayette Optimist Club. Mike has worked extensively with the youth of Fayette and surrounding community, serving as a coach and umpire in youth and high school baseball and softball, as well as a coach for Central Missouri Special Olympics.