Luncheon celebrates civil rights leader
Ashley Fuquay
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: News
On Tuesday, approximately 170 faculty members, students, and alumni attended a luncheon in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the famous civil rights activist.
The first speaker was Tracie Hardin, a recent graduate of Tarleton State University and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the same fraternity in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a member.
"His impact has already reached far beyond us. We walk in his words of freedom everyday," Hardin said during his speech. He also gave King's view that it is better to be a sufferer than an inflictor of pain and how it is important it is to have the right to vote and to correct wrongdoings.
"He never gave up in the natural goodness of man. I believe that he believed that all had the ability of goodness," Hardin said.
"It helps us to define who we are," President Dennis P. McCabe said about the legacy of King. He explained the campus' policy of inclusiveness and embracing continuous change to challenge and eliminate barriers.
"Dr. King's philosophy of peace among men, respect for others and equal treatment for all is a very powerful foundation on which personal and institutional goals can be built, should be built," McCabe said. He also discussed how important it is for people to treat people with respect.
Dr. Frank Ashley was the main speaker of the event. He is the Vice Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. He mentioned that he had visited the Tarleton campus more than any other in the system and enjoyed coming here.
He told the story of how on July 2, 1964, he, his older brother and his grandparents watched President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on television.
"Lazaroni, the sandwich shop, was right around the corner. So we walked around the corner and there was a door that said Colored Entrance and my brother said 'We're not gonna go in there. We don't have to do that anymore,'" Ashley said. He went of to explain that he and his brother went to the front and went through the white entrance. They explained to the shop owner that they just watched President Johnson sign the Civil Rights Act. Lazaroni proceeded to tell them in derogatory racial slurs that if they wanted a sandwich they had to use the back entrance.
The first speaker was Tracie Hardin, a recent graduate of Tarleton State University and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the same fraternity in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a member.
"His impact has already reached far beyond us. We walk in his words of freedom everyday," Hardin said during his speech. He also gave King's view that it is better to be a sufferer than an inflictor of pain and how it is important it is to have the right to vote and to correct wrongdoings.
"He never gave up in the natural goodness of man. I believe that he believed that all had the ability of goodness," Hardin said.
"It helps us to define who we are," President Dennis P. McCabe said about the legacy of King. He explained the campus' policy of inclusiveness and embracing continuous change to challenge and eliminate barriers.
"Dr. King's philosophy of peace among men, respect for others and equal treatment for all is a very powerful foundation on which personal and institutional goals can be built, should be built," McCabe said. He also discussed how important it is for people to treat people with respect.
Dr. Frank Ashley was the main speaker of the event. He is the Vice Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. He mentioned that he had visited the Tarleton campus more than any other in the system and enjoyed coming here.
He told the story of how on July 2, 1964, he, his older brother and his grandparents watched President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on television.
"Lazaroni, the sandwich shop, was right around the corner. So we walked around the corner and there was a door that said Colored Entrance and my brother said 'We're not gonna go in there. We don't have to do that anymore,'" Ashley said. He went of to explain that he and his brother went to the front and went through the white entrance. They explained to the shop owner that they just watched President Johnson sign the Civil Rights Act. Lazaroni proceeded to tell them in derogatory racial slurs that if they wanted a sandwich they had to use the back entrance.
Be the first to comment on this story