On Tuesday, Jan. 17, the entire Kingswood Oxford community gathered in an assembly to honor and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.
Dr. King was a Nobel Peace Prize winner, who earned this award for his nonviolent approach to creating equality for Black Americans. Dr. King helped do this by becoming a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). SCLC organized nonviolent protests and sit-ins that eventually played a role in the elimination of segregation. Ultimately, Dr. King was an integral part of getting the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, and it is important to honor his legacy.
This assembly differed from those in the past, as this year students and teachers shared how Dr. King has impacted their lives. The assembly started off with words from history teacher Ted Levine, who shared his experience the day Dr. King was assassinated. Then, choir teacher Steve Mitchell shared his views on Dr. King’s legacy. “The legacy of Dr. King is not about peace, but justice. Peace is the goal, but justice comes first,” Mr. Mitchell said.
Along with Mr. Levine and Mr. Mitchell, Middle School math teacher and Kingswood Oxford alum Tylon Smith also spoke. “When I was asked to speak at this assembly, my first reaction was ‘Of course because I am one of the only Black teachers,’ but after that, I thought it was pretty cool to be able to share my thoughts and opinions,” Mr. Smith said. “I think I have a pretty unique perspective since I graduated from the school.”
What Mr. Smith wants the students to understand is that it is up to us to be part of the change we wish to see. He emphasized the fact that we can have an impact on the communities we are a part of, and we have the power to change the status quo.
In addition to hearing from teachers, senior Jada Asapokhai and eighth-grader Caroline Guavin spoke as well. Jada went first, sharing her experience. “Having been taught the legacy of Dr. King as an agent of change in the civil rights movement has impacted me in a way that is subtle, but nothing short of revolutionary,” she said.
As a student activist, Caroline shared her perspective. “His life has allowed people like me to sit in this room and talk to you all,” Caroline said. Both students’ words were very impactful to the Kingswood Oxford Community.
Many students enjoyed hearing the perspective of members of the KO community. “This assembly was very impactful as it was really interesting to hear students’ and teachers’ real-life experiences with the legacy of MLK,” sophomore Clara Drag said. The assembly definitely reached its goal of honoring Dr. King and further educating the community about his legacy.
