Five days may not seem like enough time to honor decades of unprecedented leadership, but for students and organizations honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during SMU’s MLK Dream Week the time is well spent.

MLK Dream Week has been a tradition at SMU since 2008. Students participate in community service and attend events to commemorate King’s legacy. Wednesday, January 22, “Standing on My Sisters’ Shoulders,” a film that captivates the women of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, will be screened in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center at 8 p.m.

In 60 minutes, the award-winning documentary spotlights a fascinating era of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi during the 1950s and 1960s. The film includes original interviews from political activist Fannie Lou Hamer, equal education advocate Mae Bertha Carter, civil rights pioneer Unita Blackwell, and other revolutionary women.

The film also includes historical footage depicting the struggle for African Americans in many areas including voter registration, education equality and desegregation.

The piece, produced by Joan Sadoff, Robert Sadoff and Laura Lipsom, won “Best Documentary” at the Pan- African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadouga, the Humanitarian Award at the Long Island Film Expo and countless other accolades.

In the past, SMU has screened other impactful films.

In 2010, the film “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin” spotlighted Bayard Rustin, an often overlooked activist whom King was drawn to because of his nonviolent practices. However, his openly admitted homosexuality typically left him in the background.

Here are the list of events that will finish up MLK Dream Week:

Wednesday, Jan. 22:
– Real Talk: Conversations Around Diversity
Hughes-Trigg Student Center Portico B-C-D at noon

– Standing on My Sisters’ Shoulders
Hughes-Trigg Student Forum at 8 p.m.
Check out the trailer for the film.

Friday, Jan. 24:
– Commemorative Unity Walk
Hughes-Trigg Commons at 12:30 p.m.