"I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
" Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last evening, I had the pleasure (if you want to call it that) of watching the Lifetime Movie Network program entitled, "For One Night." This movie followed a fictional character by the name of Brianna McCallister as she attempted to organize the first intregrated prom in her high school's history.
While watching this movie I kept trying to make myself believe that this story was taking place in the 50's, 60's, or 70's. I didn't want to believe the facts. I wanted to come out of my DEEP sleep. Unfortunately, I could not come out of my DEEP sleep, because I WASN'T SLEEP. This story isn't based off events that took place in the 50's, 60's, or 70's. This FRAC-IN-ACLE-BULL took place in ............................................... 2002.
Twenty-nine years after Dr. Martin Luther King gave his now famous "I Have A Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC (August 28,1963), we STILL are having issues with segregation.
The real-life story took place in a small town called Butler, Georgia. The young lady that took a stand against segregate proms in her high school was Gerica McCrary (played by Raven Simone). Gerica didn't understand the need to have two proms (white prom/black prom) when the majority of students interact with each other everyday during the school year. Nearly 75% of the juniors and seniors at the high school supported Gerica's idea. Unfortunately, it was the ADULTS that continued to impart their racial wisdom into their kids and community. If it had not been for Shandra Hill Smith, freelancer writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, this prom and story would probably be Butler, Georgia little SECRET. Shandra Hill Smith also attended the same high school years ago, so she had a first-hand knowledge of Butler, Georgia secret life.
Gerica was able to successful have ONE prom for her senior class. Unfortunately, the white students (and parents) decided to have WHITES-ONLY proms again (and still do).
I would like to thank Gerica McCrary and Shandra Hill Smith for taking a STAND!
Click on the attached links for more information on the Taylor County High School proms.
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/fyi/teachers.ednews/04/22/integrated.prom.ap/
http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/05/02/separate.proms.ap/
http://www.lifetimetv.com/movies/originals/foronenight.html
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