Martin Luther King Day/Presidential Inauguration
Updated at January 21, 2009 11:03
Congratulations to all who participated in our MLK Day/Presidential Inauguration activities.
On Thursday, January 15th, we divided the school into grade level groups during the Advisory Period to watch the Martin Luther King, Jr. speech known as either "The Cancelled Check" or the "I Have a Dream" speech. We discussed the speech and how each "title" used for it may carry a great deal of meaning. For example, in the beginning of the speech, Dr. King uses the metaphor of a promissory note that America has refused to redeem for African-Americans to represent how the United States has failed to live up the promises of the Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and the Constitution. Also in the beginning, Dr. King addresses "the fierce urgency of now." In the better known closing section, however, Dr. King speaks in a more visionary, and one might say, ethereal manner; he envisions an America where all children, regardless of their ethnicity or race, are "free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free at last."
On Tuesday, January 20th, we watched President Obama take the oath of office and give his inaugural address. Following the speech, we ate lunch and then attended sessions "breakout" seminars.
SEMINARS
Seminar 1 Growing up Black in St. Louis and the historical significance of Obama’s inauguration Vivian Gibson
Seminar 2 The Art of Politics Tom Huck
Seminar 3 Obama and Rhetoric Josh Hutchison
Seminar 4 I am a Black Woman Salena Jay
Seminar 5 The Hip-Hop Culture D.J. Needles
Seminar 6 Community Service and Action Gerry Lauber & Justin McKnight
Seminar 7 What’s the Big Deal? John Merritt
Seminar 8 The Civil Rights Movement Rick Burns
Seminar 9 The Politics of this Moment Andrew Rehfeld
Seminar 10 Diversity in Corporate America Michelle Holton
Seminar 11 What Obama’s Election means for African American Men Daryll McAdoo, CCPS Class of 2001
Seminar 12 Race at Crossroads College Prep Tianay, Patrick, Kate, and Hannah Students from the Class of 2009
Seminar 13 Obama and the Economy in our Cities Zach Boyers
Seminar 14 The Art of Hope (performance at 3:00) Angela Hunter-Knight
Seminar 15 Michelle Obama: Our New First Lady Ms. G & Tawana Parks
Seminar 16 Famous Last Words Brittyne Fitzgerald