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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – In a reverent tribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Youngstown State University freshman Matt Harlow honored the civil rights leader’s achievements and legacy by adding an extra four hours of dreams to his day between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday.

Harlow, who usually wakes up moments before his 9 a.m. Monday class, The Black Experience in American History, said his tribute to King was the least he could do.

“Martin Luther King had a dream,” said the 19-year-old American history major. “His was pretty awesome, and so was mine because in my dream Stephanie Barkmeier was totally flirting with me at this party. But then she ended up going home with an armadillo.”

Moments after completing his final REM cycle, Harlow paused in apparent memorandum for Dr. King prior to kicking off to his opponent in Madden NFL 08.

“It’s important to remember what he did for all of us,” said Harlow, who paid homage to Dr. King last year with an all-day Aqua Teen Hunger Force marathon. “Without his work that he ended up giving his life for, we wouldn’t have a day off of school until Easter break. And he’ll always be admired for that sacrifice.”

Most Youngstown State students presumably joined Harlow Monday in celebrating Dr. King’s life, as none of the more than 12,000 undergraduate students were sighted prior to noon at any campus facility.

“I have always paid tribute to Mr. King by staying in bed a few extra hours to remember all that he did,” said Katie Decker, a sophomore art literature major. “If he hadn't had a dream to free the slaves then where would we be? So I think it’s important that we observe the day he was assassinated, the third Monday of every January.”

Harlow, who considered attending an 8 p.m. viewing of Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech at Bliss Hall put on jointly by the Student African American Brotherhood, Sistas With A Vision, and the Black Business Students Association, opted instead to attend one of many loosely themed Martin Luther King Jr. parties on and around the 140 acre campus just north of downtown Youngstown.

“The 'I Have a Dreamsicle' shots were amazing,” Harlow added. “Not to mention the 'Civil Bites Movement' jalapeño poppers.”

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