The Community Times Dispatch

NAACP Youth Council facilitates successful Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon Colleton County School District Assistant Superintendent William Dixon provided a compelling historical and educational account of the people and events that shaped the American Civil Rights Movement at the NAACP Youth Council Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at the Coastal Outback building in Walterboro.

“I am here to uplift you today,” Dixon said as he prolifically and inquisitively intrigued the minds of youth and adults.

Dixon began his discourse with a quiz of historic dates and personalities. One such question was targeted at year the Dr. King Holiday was started. After he told them the holiday started in 1986, he began to share other pertinent historical facts that he described as paramount to his development during his college years.

“It is very important that you know these things.” he said. “We don’t just have this holiday to have off an extra day of school or an extra day for federal employees to have a day off or vacation. It is a very important holiday and it means a lot to me.”

Dixon told them that Dr. King delivered over 2500 speeches, was the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize, and did many other notable things in his life. He also told them that while Dr. King is one of the most noted speakers at the March on Washington, he was not the main organizer of the event. In fact, Baynard Rustin, King’s mentor, had organized the March on Washington.

“Dr. King was just like you…he was a little younger though,” said Dixon. “He skipped the ninth grade, the twelfth grade, and went to college at age 15.”

Dixon told the youth that they are not the only ones that have a lot going on and that they need to focus on what is important to them. He shared how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had death threats by the thousands and how he became a doctorate and was accused of plagiarism. There was a legal case against him twelve years after his death saying that the things he wrote wasn’t really his. There were rumors going around that he was a homosexual, Dixon told them how Strom Thurmond, when he was younger in the 1960’s, put out a photo of Dr. King as he was bathing with Mr. Rustin talking to him. Dr. King was also stabbed by an African American woman in 1958. In 1970, his best friend, Reverend Ralph Abernathy wrote this book saying that he had many extra marital affairs.

“I don’t care how great you are or how great you want to be, there is always going to be somebody trying to stop you,” he said. You are always going to have obstacles. You have got to stay focused, stay the course, and hang around positive people. I am challenging you right now to not let people who are not motivated in school to cause you not to give your best in school. Make the most of you life, right now. Make a sacrifice for what you believe in and don’t let anybody pull you down.”

Dixon brought to light other little facts, like; Claudette Colvin who was actually the first African American in Alabama to refuse to give up her seat on a but to a White person. Colvin had done this and was forcibly arrested by police when she was sixteen years of age and nine months before Rosa Parks would board a bus at the same location.

He also reviewed key dates in African American history like the years 1619, 1776, 1954, 1965, 1972, 1994, and 2008. He told them to Facebook, Twitter, and text the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th Amendments to the United States Constitution.

Dixon’s oration came full circle when he used the words “Scholarship,” Service,” and “Sacrifice” to compel the youth into action. He encouraged them to be less popular and take a stand for what they believe in, to commit to do meaning service projects within the community, and to work hard to achieve academic success.

Colleton County NAACP Youth Council President Daniel Calloway was the Master of Ceremony for the luncheon. Many of the youth, including Dominique Ford, who delivered a compelling and inspirational speech, contributed to the group through organizing, marketing, singing, dancing, speaking, praying, and many handling many other tasks.

Youth Advisors Nicole Holmes and Vernell Williams presented Dante Calloway and Daniel Calloway with an appreciation award for their commitment to the council.