Micromemphis: University District The Neighborhoods of the University of Memphis
  • Home
  • About
    • University District in the News
    • University District Website
    • University District Map
    • MicroMemphis Team
  • News
  • Business
  • Religion
  • Food
  • Community
  • Campus
  • Multimedia
    • Slideshows
    • Video

Henri Brooks: Black History Month closing ceremony keynote speaker asks U of M students tough questions

3/4/2014

0 Comments

 
By Cormac Parker 

“God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way,” sang Breyanna Tillman, a student at the University of Memphis. 

Students gathered in the University Center River Room for the annual Black History closing ceremony on Friday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m. with close to 75 students in attendance. 

A slight twist occurred when the main speaker, County Commissioner Henri Brooks, was running late due to unforeseen circumstances.

Approaching the stand out of breath, Brooks did not waste time reviewing the prominent history makers of the Civil Rights Movement. Instead, her approach was more thought-provoking. 

“The Civil Rights Movement was led by young people who stepped up to the plate,” Brooks said. “They fought for you to have a seat at the table. Now what are you going to do with it?”
As a  former representative for Tennessee, she helped to push Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Brooks feels that this part of the law is not being carried out to the fullest extent, and tax payers and voters are responsible. Brooks compelled the attendees to open up their eyes and see what is going on around them and take action 

Title VI states that no one can be discriminated from receiving federal funding because of their race, color or national origin. 

“If you would just do your homework and analysis where the money is going, you will see that there are certain groups that are being left out," she said. "Let’s ask the hard questions.”

The room was still as she gave her moving speech to the students and faculty. Brooks said that because something is not overt does not mean that it is not happening. 

“You will never deal with dogs biting you and fire hoses spraying you, but you will deal with a man in a three-piece suit that graduated from Yale, ” she said. 

Brooks believes that the fight for equality is alive and well; however, the tactics have simply changed. 

 The Office of Multicultural Affairs along with many other organizations on campus plans events for almost every day in the month of February in efforts to shine light on the dynamic history of African Americans. Some of the events included a night with Lou Gossett Jr., Museum on Wheels, Gospel Explosion Concert and a night with Stephan A. Smith (ESPN Anchor).

“The museum on wheels really brought to reality how far we have come,” said Michael Barber, a U of M student.

The Museum on Wheels was set up in the rose theater displaying a panoramic view of the stony road that many had to walk. After two hours of it being open, a lecture was given.

While some events painted a clear picture for students, others exposed students to the history made in their backyard. 

“I know it’s sad, but I did not know anything about the Memphis 13, and I’m from Memphis. I learned about it this month at one of the events,” said Toy Thompson, a nursing student at the U of M. 

Students were very open to share the many things that they were ignorant about concerning black history. 

With all that the students learned, Brooks left everyone with one pressing question, “Where do we go from here?”
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Tweets by @UDistrictMicro

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All
    Arts
    Audio
    Black History
    Black Owned Business
    Blue Tom Records
    Botanic Garden
    Brittany Carruthers
    Bruce Harber
    Bryan Heater
    Business
    Campus
    Caray Oldham
    Carlissa Robinson
    Carrie Sanders
    Charity
    Chings
    City Council
    Civil Rights Movement
    Community
    Cormac Parker
    Crime
    Dana Porter
    Education
    Empress And Emperor Mentoring
    Entertainment
    Erica Hartsfield
    Events
    Fashion
    Feature
    Fitness
    Food
    Green
    Gsrm
    Health
    Highland
    Housing
    Innovation
    Instagram
    Jerald Harris
    Jj Greer
    John Martin
    Kathy Brower
    Local
    Lovie Hudson
    Maps
    Master Plan
    Memphis
    Mentoring
    Michelle Corbet
    Millennials
    Multimedia
    Music
    News
    Non-profit
    Normal Station
    Park Ave.
    Park Avenue
    Patterson
    Politics
    Poplar
    Preview
    Profile
    Public Safety
    Raleigh Egypt
    Raven Mcclain
    Recruitment
    Religion
    Sex
    Slideshow
    Social-media
    Southern
    Sports
    St-jude
    Transportation
    Udistrict History
    University Of Memphis
    Urban Garden
    Video
    Walker Avenue