The MLK Leadership Award for organizations went to the then-MIT Committee on Campus Race Relations. The committee was appointed in 1994 by MIT President Charles Vest “to catalyze activities, develop and distribute information on programs and resources, and administer a modest grants program to support projects proposed by members of the MIT community – with the goal of enhancing multicultural understanding and collegial race relations on campus.”

The Committee on Campus Race Relations was charged with fostering better relations among the races of people at MIT and helping the community realize the benefits of its cultural and racial diversity. Members were appointed from the senior administration, faculty, staff, and student body and include people with different racial and cultural backgrounds. Members worked closely with the various racial and ethnic groups. The committee had several responsibilities, including coordinating a systematic action agenda for improving race relations on campus, developing and distributing relevant resource guides, and administering a modest grants program to support projects and activities that promote multicultural understanding and positive race relations.

Coretta Scott King, addressing MIT's 20th annual celebration of her husband's life and legacy, commended MIT for announcing the establishment of a campus race-relations committee.

In the spring of 1996, the Committee on Campus Race Relations took responsibility for preparing, funding, and producing the fifth videotape in the It’s Intuitively Obvious series. The eigth-volume series captures students of different racial backgrounds discussing issues of race on the MIT campus.

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