Witnify Blog

Martin Luther King, Jr. Congressman John Lewis on MLK: “He said to me, are you the boy from Troy?”

erica — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:07:37 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhQJWvyYn_E?rel=0&start=5

Congressman and famous civil rights activist John Lewis tells the story of how he wrote a letter about racial discrimination to Martin Luther King Jr. and received not only a reply, but also round trip bus tickets to visit him in Montgomery to discuss the issue. Lewis' first person account describes his first meeting with MLK and shares his thoughts on the meaning of Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated in the United States. MLK Day was singed into law as a Federal holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and was first celebrated in 1986.

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Andrew Courtney “For me it’s a memory moment”

erica — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 21:03:40 +0000

Andrew Courtney describes his trip to Washington to attend the March on Washington and how it became a turning point in his life. Continue reading

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Virginia Richardson: “Every word he said I believe so firmly”

erica — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 20:22:31 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UHs6kTSY-o?rel=0

Virginia Richardson discusses how she was able to attend the March and what she remembers from that day. Richardson attended the 50th anniversary of the March in Washington, D.C.

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom John Murphy: “It was for jobs and freedom, it wasn’t just about civil rights”

erica — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 20:08:56 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZeSfBPo7l8?rel=0

John Murphy discusses the importance of the labor movement at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Murphy attended the 50th anniversary of the March in Washington D.C.

Assassination of John F. Kennedy To perform or not perform on Nov 1963

psuhas — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 01:44:41 +0000

On the night of the assassination, members of The Gilbert and Sullivan Players (Philadelphia, PA) gathered at the Plays and Players theater for their performance of "The Gondoliers". Some of us came directly from work, stunned by the horrific news.rnOur director , Bruce Montgomery, was considering whether we should cancel or perform. All the professional; theaters had decided to keep them black. A few of our audience members arrived, and urged us most entreatingly to go on stage, to help them endure the nightmare. It was eventually decided that with all the other theaters closed, we should also keep our stage empty for the night. We were a small troupe, limited to the size of the original G & S casts. Enough of us are still here to remember that cold night waiting in the dark lobby with heavy hearts.rnrnrnrnFrances V. Zerbe

Assassination of John F. Kennedy Kennedy Assassination

psuhas — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 20:31:10 +0000

I was driving my very cool red convertible Corvair , famously deemed "unsafe at any speed " by Ralph Nader. I remember that it was a mild day for a Pennsylvania November. As I tooled down the Route 309 expressway listening to music on the car radio, the program was interrupted by an announcement that "something" had happened to Kennedy's Dallas motorcade, quickly followed by "shots had been fired". I was about ten minutes away from my home. By the time I pulled into the driveway I heard that he was seriously wounded— or dead. I sat in the car for a long time, unable to move.rnrnNow I realize for the first time why—beyond obvious reasons— I was so devastated. Franklin Roosevelt, our national father, died suddenly when I was 19, my father died suddenly when I was 23, and now Kennedy, just a few years older than my 37 was still another father figure.

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Walter Fauntroy on the success of the March

erica — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:12:54 +0000

March on Washington activist Walter Fauntroy discusses how thousands of people got to the event and the importance of encouraging local residents to attend political events in DC. Continue reading

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Reverend Willie Barrow: The Women Behind the March

erica — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 19:11:55 +0000

Reverend Willie Barrow talks about organizing The March on Washington as a logistical engineer and the role of women as civil rights leaders in the past, present, and future. Continue reading

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Rep. John Lewis On The 45th Anniversary

psuhas — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:36:35 +0000

Congressional representative John Lewis speaks on MLK's 45th anniversary. Continue reading

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Rita Daniels recalls the March

psuhas — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:34:01 +0000

Rita Daniels describes her personal experience marching with Dr. King in Washington, D.C. Continue reading