A number of schools and groups across North Alabama have paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this month, and Athens State University will do the same next week.

On Tuesday, the school’s Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies will host “Why We Can’t Wait: Remembering the Life and Message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The celebration begins at noon and will be held in McCandless Hall on the campus of Athens State University.

The free hour-long event will feature the Calhoun Community College Choir and focus on King’s life and message. The title of the program is a reference to a 1964 book by King, which is primarily a republishing of his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

Dr. Robert White, a professor of religion studies and director of the Coleman Center for Religious Studies, said King’s message of unity is needed today more than ever. He hopes the community will attend the celebration and be inspired by the message and the music.

“Let this be a time for inspiration through music and be challenged to make a difference,” White said. “We haven’t lived into the dream Dr. King talked about. We’ve made progress, but we’re not there yet.”