Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 1986, Page 23

Description:	^J\inqhonoredou natiinationIn 1986 the UnitedStates formallycelebrated Martin LutherKing Jr. Day. This newnational holiday wasbrought about throughthe efforts of groupswho support the EqualRights Amendment andby individuals such asCoretta Scott King, hiswife, and singer StevieWonder. It takes placeon the third Monday inJanuary, this year the20th.Most Americans agreethat King was a greatman but are unaware ofhis monumentalachievements.In the years when Kingwas growing up, thenation was on the vergeof a depression andracial segregation waswidespread. Anti-blacksentiments brewedamong whites,particularly in the Southand Midwest.In college, Kingstudied theology and, in1955, he became pastorof a Baptist church inMontgomery, Alabama.Kings non-violentapproach to problemsstemmed from the spiritof passive resistance inthe Bible, the teachingsof Jesus, and thetechniques of Gandhi.As the national symbolof equality for all people,King led and supportedmany famous events. Heled a non-violent boycottof the Montgomery BusLines which was sparkedwhen black seamstressRosa Parks refused togive up her seat to awhite person. In 1961,King played aninstrumental part in theactivities of the freedomriders who tested theextent of racialdesegregation on bustravel.The March onWashington, D.C., inAugust of 1963, was aculmination for Kingspeaceful equal rightsmovement. It greatlyheightened Americasawarness of theproblems it faced dealingwith job discriminationand personal freedom.Nearly 2,000,000 peoplegathered around theWashington Monumentto hear his famous IHave A Dream speech.He was also awardedthe Nobel Peace Prize in1964. ConstanceHolland, a governmentteacher at South,participated in the rallyand spoke of itsatmosphere. I had agreat sense that I wasbeing a part of history asit happened. There was atremendous sense ofcaring and sharing. Itwas an exhilaratingexperience, one that Icannot soon forget, sherelated.On April 4,1968, whilesupporting a garbageworkers strike inMemphis, Tennessee,King was assassinatedby James Earl Ray.He will be rememberedfor his dedicatedstruggle for peace andequality.When ZJttathd . . .omaTrue to his name andreputation, Toma cutthrough ignorance andindifference in a lectureabout drugs at AssemblyHall on September 17,1985.With an evangelisticfervor, David Tomaspoke to more than6,000 Monroe CountyCommunity SchoolCorporation andRichland Bean Blossomstudents. Were playinga game in this society,said Toma referring tothe revolving door ofdrug abuse in America.Toma began byexplaining his deprivedbackground and theyears in which he spentin A cesspool ofdrugs—the ghetto.Toma spoke of thephysical, psychologicaland societal damage hehad seen firsthandstemming from drugs.Toma spoke toReaching out to over 6,000students with a messageagainst drug use is DavidToma.students about the hardfacts of drugs. Thenumber one business (inAmerica) is drugs. Themajority of kids are allinto drugs, Toma said.He added that mostpeople just dont care.Tomas presentationfielded mixed reactions.A lot of what he wasobserving was morehardcore drug abusethan is occurring atSouth, commentedteacher CarolineRichards.
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/2439
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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