Van White | 50th Anniversary March on Washington

0 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm GettingThem to the Mountaintop

PANEL DISCUSSION | HERMITAGE

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

During the 1960s, religious leaders were the face of the civil rights movement. What is the role of the church and other religious institutions in the present day civil rights movement? Do they or can they even be expected to have the influence that they had five decades ago? We’ve asked three respected religious leaders and theologians (from Detroit, Michigan, Jefferson city, Missouri and Youngstown Ohio) to answer the question – can you still get us to the mountain top?

0 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm State Takeovers: How to fight back

PANEL DISCUSSION | ASHLAWN

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

Increasingly, as a result of state takeovers, appointments of financial managers, and mayoral control, urban voters are losing their right to elect their own representatives. Residents in municipalities and school districts from across this country frequently find themselves victims of “taxation without representation”. Panelist, whose voting rights are being attack or subverted, discuss how to recognized when such an attack is being planned against your city or school district and what you can do to prevent it and fight back.

0 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Education: Finishing What We Started

PANEL DISCUSSION | SAGAMORE HILL

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

Does your district look any more integrated than it was 50 years ago after the brown decision? Does the fact that children of color consistently score below Caucasian children in standardized tests concern you? Do black and brown students in your high schools and college drop out in greater percentages than white students? Do students of color in your schools have more limited access to advanced or accelerated courses in your schools? Are they suspended or punished at greater rates than the white students in your community? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you’ll want to attend this panel discussion. Three experienced educational leaders (the former superintendent of Chicago public schools; a vice provost from a historically black college; and a professor from Columbia university) will lead a discussion surrounding closing the achievement and opportunity gaps which exist in secondary and post secondary education.

0 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm They’ve taken it away. Now it’s time that we take it back

PANEL DISCUSSION | ASHLAWN

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

More than a half a million people live in the District of Columbia. They pay their full share of federal taxes; fight and die in the same wars as any other American; and have the same set of civics responsibilities that a resident would in any other state within the United States of America, yet they are denied voting representation in the United States house and the senate. Come and learn (from the leadership team at D.C. vote) why this issue should matter to you even though you don’t live in our nation’s capital. Attend this panel discussion and learn what leaders are doing to secure full voting representation in congress for the District of Columbia and how you can support that effort.

0 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Words Can Make a Difference

PANEL DISCUSSION | HERMITAGE

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

One thing is very clear; the leaders of the 1960s civil rights movement knew how to utilize the media to get their message across. Nightly television images of peaceful protesters running from dogs and firehouses; horrific still pictures of bombed out churches and bloodied freedom riders, all had an impact on shaping public opinion. With all of today’s available electronic, print and digital media, you’d think we’d have an easier time getting our message out? Instead, it appears that we only occasionally engage the media when were in the midst of a crisis or controversy. But what is our message throughout the balance of the year or decade? If you listen to the radio or watch music videos, we are now the ones who are generating violent and counterproductive images. Our panel of media experts, including Professor John Youngblood (professors of communication at Suny Potsdam) and Dr. Elijah Foulk, will lead a lively an engaging discussion around media, messaging, and the movement.

50th Anniversary of the March on Washington

Posts By Van White

0 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm GettingThem to the Mountaintop

0 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm State Takeovers: How to fight back

0 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Education: Finishing What We Started

0 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm They’ve taken it away. Now it’s time that we take it back

0 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Words Can Make a Difference