Westminster Blogs: Kat Barden on MLK

Colleagues, mentors, and friends,

I love days when I cannot wait to get to work.  Waking up 2 hours early to review the plans in my mind, praying over them, hoping for them, and considering the students’ possible emotional vantage points I wonder, “How will I teach today? How will I engage them today?”  Ok, it’s “just” WSM [Westminster Seminar], but it’s on Aug. 28, 1963.  This day could change their lives!  Perhaps because I was born in 1963, or because I was born in Memphis, for whatever reason Dr. King has been a mentor whose clay feet only raised him higher in my life.   Today is the anniversary of his pivotal speech—one that has changed my life, and continues to form it.  After this speech, a southern black Baptist preacher will no longer be known nationally as a southern civil rights pain in J.Edgar Hoover’s neck, but he will be a national voice and face for justice and non-violence.  ABC covered the day and their reports include an interview with Dr. King about the day, on the day.  The recording is from the National Archives.  I hope you will have a chance to view it and consider the courage it took to attend the march, the courage it took to speak at the march, and the courage it took to broadcast the march.

At approximately 11:10 a.m.  today WSM 101L walked to The Columns and read the “I Have A Dream” speech. I hope it will resonate with their march through the columns 11 days ago, and inform their four years as we educate to lead . I hope it will inspire them to achieve their dream(s).  Dream on!

-Kat Barden