MLK Day music, messages, rock East Middle School
'I am still met with ignorance,' speaker says
By Michele Linck Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006
The Mount Zion East Middle School Steppers perform during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at East Middle School Monday. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
The Mount Zion Consecrated Mass Choir had East Middle School rocking and swaying during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration there Monday. Students rose to their feet to applaud inspirational speakers as well.
Tito Parker, East Middle School's outreach worker, reminded students that they were celebrating the day in a city that, just a few years ago, didn't want to name a street or a building after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who worked to help people of all races, ages and religions. (The new downtown transit center was eventually named after King.)
Parker, who said he is black, Mexican and American Indian, recounted daily racial snubs, such as being asked what he's doing on the East side of town and being denied a test drive in an RV that suddenly became "sold." A week later, a white friend took it for a spin, no questions asked, he said.
"I am still met with ignorance," he told the 950 students.
Sioux City Schools Superintendent Larry Williams called tolerance the "soul of democracy. We've been working to refine it since 1776," he said, calling the work "a ceaseless task."
"Dr. King urged black citizens, all citizens, to step out of bondage and claim equality for themselves ... peaceably, but forcefully," he said. Williams added that "education is the foundation of knowledge and knowledge is the foundation of freedom."
Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings, who is also a candidate for County Attorney, said he grew up in Texas and had just two heroes, his mother and King. "He was in me," he said. "He represented the courage to go down the road other people didn't want to go down, the courage to do the things other people didn't want to do."
Jennings encouraged the students to treat others with kindness and to take that calculus or physics class "no one else" is taking.
In a twist, Mayor Craig Berenstein wrote a letter to King and read it aloud to students. "I have to admit," he told the slain civil rights leader, "we haven't fully satisfied your dream." He said he hopes citizens will remember King's care and compassion and keep his wisdom daily.
Dr. Jerome Pierson, a Sioux City cardiologist who is black, spoke about what King meant to him growing up in Los Angeles. He said despite his family's education and achievements, his parents could not live where they wanted, because of their color. He recounted from King's "Dream" speech the check from the federal government that came back stamped "insufficient funds."
Pierson told students that the check is still being presented today. "Each of us has the duty to step up and pay that check," he said. "Look at each other and know each and every one of you has something to contribute to this society."
And, finally, the Rev. Robert Lauderdale, co-owner of It's All Good Barbecue and an Alabama native, performed King's iconic "Dream" speech, having first set the scene.
It was Aug. 28, 1963. Two months earlier, Congress had struck down President Kennedy's Equal Rights Bill. Kennedy thought King might use the occasion to lash out against him and Congress. Many people were expecting the March on Washington to erupt in violence. But something much different happened at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial that day; King shared his dream.
The speakers' messages were interspersed with solos by East High School alto saxophonist Darius Triplett, the combined Mount Zion/East Middle School Steppers and combined Praise Dance Team, and a rendition of "God Bless America" by East Middle student Allison Nash.
Afterward, eighth-grader DeAnthony Franks said, "It's nice we acknowledge it for the day it is," noting that some schools want Martin Luther King Jr. Day to become "Cultural Diversity Day."
"It's good that we're all together and taking time to learn about Martin Luther King and what he did for our country," said Brittany Armstrong, also an eighth-grader.
Earlier in the day there was also a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Hunt Elementary School.
Tito Parker, East Middle School's outreach worker, reminded students that they were celebrating the day in a city that, just a few years ago, didn't want to name a street or a building after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who worked to help people of all races, ages and religions. (The new downtown transit center was eventually named after King.)
Parker, who said he is black, Mexican and American Indian, recounted daily racial snubs, such as being asked what he's doing on the East side of town and being denied a test drive in an RV that suddenly became "sold." A week later, a white friend took it for a spin, no questions asked, he said.
"I am still met with ignorance," he told the 950 students.
Sioux City Schools Superintendent Larry Williams called tolerance the "soul of democracy. We've been working to refine it since 1776," he said, calling the work "a ceaseless task."
"Dr. King urged black citizens, all citizens, to step out of bondage and claim equality for themselves ... peaceably, but forcefully," he said. Williams added that "education is the foundation of knowledge and knowledge is the foundation of freedom."
Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings, who is also a candidate for County Attorney, said he grew up in Texas and had just two heroes, his mother and King. "He was in me," he said. "He represented the courage to go down the road other people didn't want to go down, the courage to do the things other people didn't want to do."
Jennings encouraged the students to treat others with kindness and to take that calculus or physics class "no one else" is taking.
In a twist, Mayor Craig Berenstein wrote a letter to King and read it aloud to students. "I have to admit," he told the slain civil rights leader, "we haven't fully satisfied your dream." He said he hopes citizens will remember King's care and compassion and keep his wisdom daily.
Dr. Jerome Pierson, a Sioux City cardiologist who is black, spoke about what King meant to him growing up in Los Angeles. He said despite his family's education and achievements, his parents could not live where they wanted, because of their color. He recounted from King's "Dream" speech the check from the federal government that came back stamped "insufficient funds."
Pierson told students that the check is still being presented today. "Each of us has the duty to step up and pay that check," he said. "Look at each other and know each and every one of you has something to contribute to this society."
And, finally, the Rev. Robert Lauderdale, co-owner of It's All Good Barbecue and an Alabama native, performed King's iconic "Dream" speech, having first set the scene.
It was Aug. 28, 1963. Two months earlier, Congress had struck down President Kennedy's Equal Rights Bill. Kennedy thought King might use the occasion to lash out against him and Congress. Many people were expecting the March on Washington to erupt in violence. But something much different happened at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial that day; King shared his dream.
The speakers' messages were interspersed with solos by East High School alto saxophonist Darius Triplett, the combined Mount Zion/East Middle School Steppers and combined Praise Dance Team, and a rendition of "God Bless America" by East Middle student Allison Nash.
Afterward, eighth-grader DeAnthony Franks said, "It's nice we acknowledge it for the day it is," noting that some schools want Martin Luther King Jr. Day to become "Cultural Diversity Day."
"It's good that we're all together and taking time to learn about Martin Luther King and what he did for our country," said Brittany Armstrong, also an eighth-grader.
Earlier in the day there was also a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Hunt Elementary School.
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ALVIN AND THE CHIPMONKS wrote on Jan 14, 2008 1:10 PM: