LEWISTON — Peniel Joseph, author, historian and founder of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at Boston’s Tufts University, will be the keynote speaker at Bates College on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.

Joseph’s talk is titled “Reimagining Martin Luther King Jr. in the Age of Obama and the Age of Ferguson.”

Joseph, a professor of history at Tufts and a frequent national commentator on race, civil rights and democracy, has written for national and historical journals. He has also appeared on C-SPAN, National Public Radio and MSNBC.

He has authored several books, including “Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour: A Narrative History of Black Power in America,” “Dark Days, Bright Nights: From Black Power to Barack Obama,” and this year’s “Stokley: A Life, a biography of Black Power icon Stokely Carmichael” (Kwame Ture).

The program is from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel, College Street.

Bates will host other MLK Day lectures, films and workshops Sunday and Monday, exploring this year’s theme, “From Selma to Ferguson: 50 Years of Nonviolence Dissent.”

On Sunday from 7 to 8 p.m., an interfaith service, “Reradicalizing Dr. King: A Transreligious, Transnational Vision of Beloved Community,” will be held in the college chapel.

The speaker is professor Najeeba Syeed-Miller, a peacemaker and adviser for state, federal and White House initiatives and international conflicts. She’s also an assistant professor at Claremont School of Theology.

Music will be provided by the Gospelaires, Rabbi Sruli Dresdner and Lisa Mayer, and Bates College students.

MLK Jr. Day events will be held at various campus locations and are open to the public at no cost. Some events, however, do require tickets. For more information, call 786-6400, or go to: http://www.bates.edu/mlk/

On Wednesday, Bates College and Lewiston-Auburn College faculty, staff and students will hold a “Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read-In” with elementary students at Martel Elementary School.