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MLK Keynote: Two from ‘Central Park Five’ Speaking at Grand Theatre


Yusef Salaam and Raymond Santana will be the guest speakers February 18 at the Grand Theatre for Salt Lake Community College’s 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Keynote. The event, at 7 p.m., is free and open to the public, but tickets will be required and can be obtained by clicking here. The Grand is located on SLCC’s South City Campus, 1575 S. State Street in Salt Lake City.

On the night of April 19, 1989, a young woman was brutally attacked and raped in Central Park. When she recovered, she had no memory of the assault. Five boys, including Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam, were tried and convicted of the crime in a frenzied case that rocked the city. At the time, the defendants were between 14 and 16 years of age. They became known collectively as “The Central Park Five.”

On December 19, 2002, the convictions of the five men were overturned. The unidentified DNA in the Central Park Jogger Case – unlinked to any of the five – had finally met its owner, a convicted murderer and serial rapist who confessed. The convictions of the boys, now men, were overturned and they were exonerated.

Since their release, Raymond and Yusef have committed themselves to advocating and educating people on the issues of false confessions, police brutality and misconduct, press ethics and bias, race and law, and the disparities in America’s criminal justice system.

Please note that in the event of a sell-out, the Grand Theatre still anticipates having plenty of seating available. The Theatre will have a first-come, first-served standby line, and most attendees, if not all, will be admitted. Please arrive by 6:40 to ensure you get a seat.

Doors open 60 minutes prior to start time. Children & babes in arms welcome.

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