The Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel sparked campus outrage after it unveiled a portrait of Joseph Smith Jr., founder of Mormonism, in its Hall of Honor. Students say chapel administrators made the decision without meaningful student input and ignored how the honor conflicts with Morehouse College’s legacy.
The chapel unveiled the portrait Sunday, Feb. 1, during its 5:30 p.m. vespers service. Two days later, chapel assistants began drafting a formal letter of dissent. Over the following week, tensions escalated between students and chapel leadership over representation, governance and the symbolism of the Hall of Honor.
Student dissent and alleged retaliation
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, junior Alonzo Brinson, the 40th President of the Chapel Assistants, and junior Damarion King, vice president of the Chapel Assistants, released a letter condemning the decision to honor Smith. The letter questioned whether the induction aligned with Morehouse’s mission and institutional values. Students involved say chapel administrators dismissed their concerns and, in some cases, responded with disciplinary actions.
On Feb. 5, King advanced to the finals of the Otis Moss Oratorical Contest. During his speech, King publicly criticized the college’s decision…