Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Inspires BB&N Community

The BB&N community honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with insightful speeches, thoughtful presentations, and inspirational music at the recent MLK breakfast.

“We come together to acknowledge the path we have been on, and the path for tomorrow,” said Head of School Rebecca T. Upham to a crowd that filled every table in the Upper School Commons on a chilly Monday morning.

After a brief introduction by Head of Multicultural Services Lewis Bryant, Senior Isis Kayiga ’08 discussed Dr. King’s instrumental role in the founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, a group created to harness the moral authority and organizing power of black churches to conduct non-violent protests in the service of civil rights reform. Reflecting on how Dr. King was profoundly affected by Gandhi and the idea of nonviolent protest during his trip to India, Kayiga read a quote aloud:

“Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity,” she read. “In a real sense, Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.”

After a performance by the Upper School chorale, three Middle School students impressed the audience with their multimedia presentations on individuals they feel have “stepped up” for a cause. Seventh Grader Alexandra Sanyal did her project on her mother, Professor Diane Davis, who helped create Jerusalem 2050, a visionary project that seeks to understand what it would take to create peace in Jerusalem by 2050.

“Even though we are in the midst of a dark time, my mom is trying to show that there is hope for a brighter future,” she said.

Dean of Students Rory Morton ’81 then took center stage and gave a poignant speech about three inspiring leaders that have furthered civil rights at no small cost to themselves— former Celtic Bill Russell, boxer Muhammad Ali, and musician Sam Cooke.

Attempting to convince his son that Bill Russell is the greatest player of all-time, Morton turned to YouTube to prove that there was more to being a great player than just dunking and scoring a lot of points.

“Bill Russell was the centerpiece of a dynasty that lasted 13 seasons, he was not embraced by the Boston public or the media—he was virtually ignored,” Morton said. “He spoke out against his unfair treatment, and the media portrayed him as sullen and with a bad attitude.”

Morton used Ali’s outspoken and brutally honest nature as well as Cooke’s courage to release a racially themed song as examples of people willing to sacrifice themselves to inspire change.

“Children see adults willing to step up and that provides them with the ability to step up as well,” Morton said. “It would be such a shame not to continue their fight and their message.”

The gospel group Confirmation closed the morning festivities as many students and faculty danced to a variety of their powerful songs.

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