Brian Owens (center) and the MLK Festival Ensemble perform Curtis Mayfield’s classic song “People Get Ready” during the University of Missouri–St. Louis’ annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance Monday morning at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. Owens, an accomplished soul singer, holds a music degree from UMSL and is currently serving as the Des Lee Fine Arts Collaborative‘s community music artist in residence. Mayfield was inspired to write the song after King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech delivered during the March on Washington in 1963, and he and The Impressions recorded it in 1965.

This photograph was taken by UMSL photographer August Jennewein and is the latest to be featured in Eye on UMSL.