I Had the Immense Pleasure of Speaking at a Very Special Event
A few days ago, my father and sister and I attended an unveiling of a plaque commemorating Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald schools. This event was to specifically honor a Rosenwald school in Surry County, North Carolina.
This Jewish businessman and Black educator and former slave came together and built over 5000 schools for Black children across the segregated south. Julius Rosenwald was so inspired by the writings of Booker T. Washington, Rosenwald could not help but reach out.
These schools spawned a generation of highly educated, successful, and impactful figures in American history. A few to note are Writer, Langston Hughes; opera singer Marion Anderson; author and activist, James Baldwin; artist Lawrence Jacobs; photographer Gordon Parks Jr.; Dr. Charles Drew—Dunbar High School graduate physician who revolutionized ways to process and store blood plasma; and poet Maya Angelou were all Rosenwald Fellows.
It was overwhelming to be in the room, speaking with former students of a Rosenwald school, learning from my elders, and addressing the people both in word and in song. In addition to local dignitaries being present, we all had the pleasure of hearing from an archivist at Tuskegee University; a prestigious Historically Black College of which Booker T. Washington was founder and first president.
After speaking, I led us all in the last verse of ‘Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.’ After which, my father shared a few words and gave the benediction.
Lots of work is being done on this front, and we are just at the beginning, but to say I am excited to be a part is an understatement.