By Michael Naughton

The sounds of applause and cheers filled Blackman Auditorium Monday as a recording of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech played to a near capacity crowd coming from all around the state and nation for his 75th birthday celebration.

Between 1600 and 1800 students and community members visited Northeastern to celebrate MLK day 2004: “Change our World – Voices of Inclusion.” The event started off with a number of workshops, and concluded in the afternoon with a song and dance celebration in Blackman Auditorium.

The festivities began Mon-day morning at 9 a.m. with a welcome address from Robert Lewis Jr., the executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice.

“Today is not just a day of learning,” Lewis said. “It’s taking that learning and going back to your schools, institutions and businesses and causing change.”

Peter Roby, the director for the Center for the Study of Sports in Society, added to the welcome address by speaking directly to the younger members of the audience.

“It’s important young people understand the role they can play in changing society,” Roby said. “You all should feel really good about yourselves.”

Throughout the day interactive workshops were conducted on the third and fourth floors of the Curry Student Center. The workshops that were offered included a “Symposium on Race” and “Celebrating Heroes.”

After the workshops, most of the event attendees filed into Blackman Auditorium to listen to such speakers as Mayor Thomas Menino,