Harvard Student, Mayor Young Speak at Rally for Mel King

The outgoing president of the Harvard Radcliffe Seymour Society joined Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and veteran activist Dick Gregory as principal speaker at a Northeastern University rally yesterday for Boston mayoral candidate Mel King.

Cynthia Silva '84, speaking in front of a crowd of 300, appealed to students to participate in King's election campaign for mayor. "There is no question that we should be involved in this campaign, in fact it is our responsibility to do so," she said, pointing out that the efforts of Mel King in the past have helped to increase the number of minority students attending Boston schools.

The rally was sponsored by Students for Mel King, a coalition of Boston-area students which was formed at "Malcolm X Weekend" held at Harvard last winter. The group includes members of the Seymour Society, a Harvard-based Black Christian fellowship that coordinated minority voter registration drives this past summer.

Another Mayor

Young encouraged students to volunteer for King's campaign and vote for him in October. "The kind of leadership Mel King would bring to this city is essential to Boston's moving forward toward the betterment of the city," he said.

The former United States ambassador to the United Nations emphasized King's special interest in students and the poor, adding. "It is important for Mel King to be mayor because he will think about you."

Both Young and Gregory joined King in a series of small events following yesterday's rally, including a short walk to a voter forum for all the candidates held in a Back Bay church.

The Seymour Society, along with other grass-roots organizations, has helped to register close to 4500 people per week throughout the summer, according to Silva. The group has also helped to coordinate fundraisers for King's campaign.