______

Community commemorates King anniversary with special ceremony

Academies of West Memphis hosts event, MLKthemed exhibition

news@theeveningtimes.com

Markova Reed enjoyed a personal home coming and opened the MLK 50th commemoration celebration with a keynote address and ribbon cutting at the Academies of West Memphis.

About 40 exhibits produced by students, civic organizations, churches, sororities and fraternities celebrated the theme “The Dream: Remember it, Live it, Share it, Celebrate it.” Reed, a 1990 West Memphis High School graduate and TV news anchor in Memphis, expressed excitement about the civil rights celebration in her home town and appealed to King’s vision.

“It’s time to reflect on how far we’ve come,” said Reed. “Dr. King’s dreams are a blueprint for a country we all say we want to live in; a country where we are all valued and respected, and given opportunities to reach our greatest potential.”

Reed pointed to the biblical edict love your neighbors and the golden rule, to do unto others as you would like done to you.

“We have to pray with and for one another,” said Reed. “We have to lend a helping hand to our neighbors. We have to treat people the way we really want to be treated. We have to stand for what is right. We have

Ramona Taylor. to do what is right.”

Quality education and personal interest from teachers launched Reed into a high orbit in her life and career.

She has made a personal effort in turn to pay it forward in the same way for the next generation.

“For me, education was a great equalizer,” said Reed.

“I had nurturing family, members of my church, neighborhood and community, who loved and supported me. I do the very same thing as often as I can today. I mentor. I give to as many efforts to young people as I can. I don’t do it for some one to say, there she is, but I do it because someone did it for me.”

The exhibits are open to educate the public through the weekend. Weekday hours are after school from 4 to 6 p.m. in the old gym at the Academies of West Memphis. The display will be on view throughout the weekend until Sunday evening.

Educators have seized the occasion as a teaching opportunity. Field trips from three school districts have been planned including those from junior high schools in the city and for Academies of West Memphis students too. Forrest City and Earle schools planned excursions for students to experience the remembrance. Some of the displays were produced by public school students.

Earle High School Principal Juanita Bohanon planned to seize the occasion.

Students need to learn of the dream to live the

dream.

“It’s important for them to come down and see this,” said Bohanon. “This generation is talked about for the things they do wrong, but we don’t celebrate the things they do well. This gives them an opportunity to be a part of not just African American History but United States history.

Civil rights impacted our country. Some of the displays were contributed by students in other schools, their peer group. It’s important for them to see that and

get inspiration, be

recharged from that. We are all for the best education for Crittenden County schools and support this effort the Academies of West Memphis is hosting.”

statefarm. com

By John Rech