Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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Student Perspective: 8th Grade Civil Rights Presentation
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Mr. Arturo Bagley and Mr. John Robinson spoke to the Class of 2020 about the Civil Rights Era. Mr. Bagley talked about young people’s participation in the civil rights movement, including the Freedom Summer Project. To some students’ surprise, he informed us that the segregation of African Americans was not by culture but by law, and the government and police were siding with the feared KKK.
Mr. Robinson spoke about the influence of the changing times on music, President John F. Kennedy’s involvement in the civil rights movement, and the protests and marches that took place. One eighth-grader said, “The video clips from back then about the marches were shocking.”
Both teachers spoke from personal experiences when they were younger and gave us a glance at the 1950s and 1960s from a different and unique point of view. We learned that it is courageous to treat all people with dignity.
—Anna Paisley Gray '20
