Princeton Weekly Bulletin February 1, 1999
Martin Luther King Day, 1999
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Nell Painter, Edwards Professor of History and
director of the African American Studies Program, gave an
address on the role of higher education in race
relations. (photo: Denise Applewhite) |
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The New York Daily News Carribeat CASYM Steel Orchestra provided music for the program. (photo: Ron Carter) |
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An audience of some 500 people participated in the Martin Luther King Day program in Richardson Auditorium on January 18. (photo: Ron Carter)
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Winners of the poster contest
(for students in grades 4 through 6)
First prize-- Trevor Wallace (grade 5, American Boychoir
School, Princeton);
second prize-- Ehren Minnich (grade 5, American Boychoir
School);
third prize-- Lizzy Nichols (grade 5, Riverside Elementary
School, Princeton); and
honorable mention-- Christine Cohen (grade 6, John
Witherspoon Middle School, Princeton), Christian Ginez (grade 5,
South Brunswick Upper Elementary School, South Brunswick), Bryan
Kuppe (grade 5, Toll Gate Grammar School, Pennington), Jessica
Muhs (grade 5, Franklin Elementary School, Trenton) and Matthew
Sczesny (grade 4, Amsterdam School, Belle Mead).
Winners of the essay contest
(for students in grades 7 and 8)
First prize-- Alex Fields (grade 8, John Witherspoon Middle
School);
second prize-- Sarah McCue (grade 8, Princeton Latin
Academy, Hopewell);
third prize-- Brian Cohen (grade 8, John Witherspoon Middle
School); and
honorable mention-- Lea Broh (grade 8, John Witherspoon
Middle School), David Fine (grade 8, Hun School of Princeton),
Alina Garbouzov (grade 7, Princeton Charter School), Rob Jellinek
(grade 8, Crockett Middle School, Hamilton), Elyse Punia, (grade
8, John Witherspoon Middle School) and Jackie Thomas (grade 7,
Stuart Country Day School, Princeton).
(for students in grades 9 and 10)
First prize-- Alicia Buchanan (grade 10, McCorristin
Catholic High School, Trenton); and
second prize-- Latoya Darien (grade 10, Trenton Central
High School, Trenton).
(for students in grades 11 and 12)
First prize-- Kyle Bond (grade 11, Hightstown High School,
Hights-town);
second prize-- Vanessa Bond (grade 11, Hightstown High
School); and
honorable mention-- Masai Henry (grade 11, Trenton Central
High School), Carolyn Hight-Harf (grade 12, Stuart Country Day
School), Amanda Innis (grade 12, Stuart Country Day School),
Elizabeth Just (grade 11, Princeton High School) and Heather Kulik
(grade 11, Hightstown High School).
Student essays win prizes
Students in grades seven through 12 were asked to mark the last Martin Luther King Day before the year 2000 by identifying the most important achievement of the civil rights or human rights movements in the 20th century and the most important thing that still needs to be done to achieve their goals in the 21st century. Essays were submitted by 198 students from 17 schools. Following are excerpts from some of the essays.
"In the 20th century, the most important right that minorities have gained is the right to vote. Groups who historically were denied the right to influence public policy, including blacks and women, today have a large impact on the American political scene. In the coming century, we must fight for children's rights." (Alex F.)
"One hundred years ago, I would have been con-sidered black. ... My daily life would have been decided by the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, in which the Supreme Court ruled blacks and whites had to live separate but equal lives. The life that I actually live today is the result of the most important achievement in the 20th century: the Supreme Court decreed that integration is the law of the land." (Brian C.)
"Targeting the youth with education as a guide is America's only hope of solving its problem. Discrimination is no longer a legal battle, but a moral dilemma, and only the people themselves can solve it." (Alicia B.)
"The most important achievement of the civil rights movement is the right to have equal opportunity In the 21st century, I think that the most important thing that still needs to be done to achieve the goals of the movement is to get rid of racism and prejudice completely."(Latoya D.)
"[E]xecutive order #9981 issued by President Truman in 1948 ... required 'equality of treatment and opportunity' in all of our armed forces. This event was crucial to the Civil Rights Movement because it paved the way for several other key achievements. ... An important aspect that has still not been addressed by the Civil and Human Rights Movements is discrimination against gays and lesbians. The abolishment of this injustice would be a great achievement for the 21st century." (Kyle B., grade 11)
"I feel the most important thing that still needs to be accomplished is to get rid of many people's fear of each other through education. ... People fear what they do not know or understand." (Vanessa B., grade 11)