Celebration - Memorial Tributes
The Honorable Congressman John Lewis and
Rev. C.T. Vivian
Legends! Iconic! Activists! Warriors in the struggle! Our community mourns the loss of two mighty men who lived their life on principle and dedication to the liberation of Black people in this country. We celebrate the lives of these two men, one a man of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the other Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; both honored by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom; men who sacrificed much and put their lives literally on the line so that freedoms and rights could be attained! If you ever wondered who was the young college student in the tan trench coat that was beaten by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama....Bloody Sunday....it was John Lewis! You may have wondered who was the preacher that had the ear and heart of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr....beaten for registering Black people to be able to vote...that was Rev. C.T. Vivian! If you have never wondered these things or have never heard of them, research them and read about them for they are examples of excellence! Thank you Rev. C.T. Vivian and the Honorable Congressman John Lewis for your service!
Rest in Heavenly Peace!
With a heavy heart we remember and honor the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman! Thank you for highlighting the best of us! Thank you for representing the strength of Black Men on film! Thank you for telling the story of many of the greatest in their respective fields...James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall! Thank you for making young children and older generations reimagine what is a super hero and what a futuristic untainted Africa would be like...on film! Unapologetically! Howard University Alumnus! Scholar! Actor! Activist! Excellence! In 43 years Chadwick Boseman accomplished much in his life and continued to work and persevere even while sick. He didn't allow nothing to stop him from reaching his goals. He was a man who stood by his beliefs and convictions and never settled for the racial stereotypes of Hollywood. He created the narrative and because of that, 15 films later, he was able to change the scope of Hollywood and how Black characters are played in film. Thank you for the example in more areas than one! Rest in Heavenly Peace!
Family join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Robert "Bob Moses! A visionary man and legend in his own right as he championed the liberation of Black people in education and politics...social activism warrior! A member of SNCC and the Co-Founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party! He worked along side Fannie Lou Hamer and their unified work with the Freedom Summer! Taught us how to tackle another great divider of education....mathematics! The Algebra Project.....the blueprint for us! Thank you for your service! Thank you for your dedication to service...proof that you can be a revolutionary, yes even as an educator! Example of what we should be! Thank you for your genius...your excellence! Rest in Heavenly Peace Brother Robert "Bob" Moses!
Remembering the Life and Legacy of Emmett Till:
65 Years Today Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
Emmett Till was born in Chicago on July 25, 1941. He was a friendly, intelligent and a very out-going young Black boy. During this time in the United States, African Americans lived segregated from Caucasians and were not allowed to live freely as others. They couldn't drink from certain water fountains; only those that said "Colored Only". The couldn't go to any school they wanted to go to; just those that were for "Colored Only". This was the time of Jim Crow. This was not the beginning of racism in this country but racism was truly on centerstage.
In the summer of 1955, 14 year old Emmett Till went to visit his family in Money, Mississippi and was killed for what was rumored to have been him speaking to a white woman. 65 years ago today, on August 28, 1955 he was kidnapped from his uncle's home by white men in the middle of the night. They killed him and threw him in the Tallahatchie River. His body was found three days later, disfigured and bloated from the water; he looked like a monster. His mother had an open-casket at his funeral so the world could see what they did to her baby. Newspapers and magazines around the country showed his disfigured body in the casket. The men who killed him were found not guilty and never served time in jail. The lynching of Emmett Till helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement!
As a learning community, La Salle Avenue Spanish Dual Language Elementary has a mission to teach our scholars from a social justice lens. We study and honor the unapologetic truth found in history and view it as our way of embracing Sankofa daily. This video celebrates the life of Emmett Till who at 14 years old was murdered because of racism and who's life sparked the Civil Rights Movement! Research, study and learn more about Emmett Till and the Civil Rights Movement!