CHAPEL HILL - Actor Danny Glover, author Timothy Tyson and neighborhood activist the Rev. Robert Campbell will give keynote speeches at Martin Luther King Jr. memorial events this month in Chapel Hill.

Glover's free public talk at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 in Memorial Hall will be preceded by a candlelight vigil starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Old Well on Cameron Avenue. The events are part of the 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Jan. 17-22 at UNC, which also will include a film, and oratorical contest, a march down Franklin Street and a talk by Cleve Jones, creator of the AIDS quilt.

"The challenges of advancing Dr. King's vision for a just and humane world are ever more difficult in our interconnected global community of today," said Archie Ervin, associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs. "Affirming our common humanity requires all of us to reach beyond the social issues that divide us. This is the enduring legacy of Dr. King and is the primary reason this celebration has continuing relevance."

Known for his roles in movies as diverse as the "Lethal Weapon" series and "The Color Purple," Glover also has been an advocate for economic justice, accessible health care and education. His activism has included work with the United Farm Workers, the Black AIDS Institute, The Algebra Project (a national nonprofit advocating quality public education for all children) and the Vanguard Public Foundation (an anti-racism, pro-equal rights organization).

At UNC, Glover will discuss how King's life and legacy influenced him to use his platform as an actor to engage in social activism. The program will begin with presentation of UNC's 27th annual MLK Scholarships. Recipients are chosen for exemplifying King's vision and demonstrating commitment to civil and human rights. Academic excellence also is a factor.

For a full schedule and details on the weeklong celebration, www.unc.edu/diversity/mlk or call the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at 962-6962.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will sponsor its annual Rally, March and worship service on Monday, Jan. 18.

The rally will start at 9 a.m. at the Peace and Justice Plaza (Franklin Street Post Office and Court Building). The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Robert Campbell, president of the Rogers-Eubank Roads Neighborhood Association. Campbell recently traveled to Washington, D.C., where he spoke about his community's efforts to keep county garbage facilities out of the historically black community. The rally will be followed by a march down Franklin Street at 9:30 a.m.

The march will end at First Baptist Church, 106 N. Roberson St., where a worship service will start at 10:30 a.m. The keynote speaker for the worship service will be author Timothy Tyson, senior research scholar at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Tyson also serves as a Visiting Professor of American Christianity and Southern Culture at Duke Divinity School, and holds appointments in the Department of History at Duke University and in the Department of American Studies at UNC.

Tyson's book, "Blood Done Sign My Name," won the Southern Book Award for Nonfiction, the Grawemeyer Award from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the Christopher Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Jeb Stuart, a Hollywood screenwriter and director, best known for "The Fugitive" and "Die Hard," has completed a feature film based on "Blood Done Sign My Name," which will be released next month.

Tyson's latest publication, "Ghosts of 1898: Wilmington's Race Riot and the Rise of White Supremacy," a special 16-page section of the News & Observer, was distributed to 700,000 North Carolina households and won an Excellence Award from the National Association of Black Journalists.