‘Black Panther,’ ‘Avengers’ actor to keynote MLK celebration January 17, 2020

Published

January 28, 2020

SUNY Oswego’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Feb. 5 will feature noteworthy actor Winston Duke as keynote speaker.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the 6:30 p.m. event in Tyler Hall’s Waterman Theatre. The MLK celebration is free, but a ticket is required to attend. 

A tradition at SUNY Oswego for decades, the program will feature performances, musical numbers and readings from SUNY Oswego students.  

Duke recently made his feature film debut in the box-office smash “Black Panther” and can be seen in “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” Duke played the fan-favorite character M’Baku, leader of the Jabari Tribe and quoted by Vanity Fair as “indelible” in the role. Duke also starred in the Jordan Peele horror movie “Us.”

Vanity Fair described him as “one of the industry's most in-demand young actors, with multiple high-profile projects in various stages of development.” With his newfound fame, Duke is using his voice to advocate for inclusion and gender equity. 

A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Duke received his bachelor of arts in theatre at the University at Buffalo and his master of fine arts at Yale School of Drama.

For more information or for those needing accommodations to attend, call the Office of Campus Life at 315-312-2301.

Tickets will be available for students starting on Jan. 27 from campus box offices or online at tickets.oswego.edu. Tickets will open to faculty and staff on Jan. 28, then to the general public on Jan. 29.

Notable keynote -- Actor Winston Duke, who made his feature film debut in the box-office smash “Black Panther” and can be seen in “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” will serve as keynote speaker of SUNY Oswego’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Feb. 5.