By Logan Samuels, News Editor
From our unique dinks to our large, pink spoon, it is fairly obvious that Hood College is invested in tradition.
Every year at Hood, there are dozens of happenings that stem from the past. For example, we have the Midnight Breakfast in preparation for finals where our staff and faculty serve us, and we have a beautiful Baccalaureate ceremony the night before graduation. Give Your Heart to Hood Day allows us to beautify our campus by planting flowers around the pergola and opening convocation allows each student to start the school year comforted by words of wisdom and surrounded by the Hood Community.
Starting last year, Hood College began a year-long series of events in order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Civil Rights Act. Hood students and faculty, as well as the Frederick community, were granted the opportunity to attend various events with amazing speakers like Elijah Cummings and Wil Haygood.
In addition to the upcoming events throughout the semester, the most pivotal event will be on Friday, September 26th: The March on Frederick. Dean White shares that Hood’s March will be patterned after the historic 1963 March on Washington and is designed to bring together students, faculty, staff and community members to reflect on the past, consider the present and look to an even brighter future.
Julian Bond, the former president of the national NAACP and legendary Civil Rights will be the keynote speaker for the march. Dean White shares that the program will also include remarks, musical selections, prayers and a call for unity. Hopes are high for the march to be attended by many from the school and all over the Frederick community as it is sure to be a “significant event” for all.
The march itself will be 1.7 miles long and will begin at 9:30 a.m. at The Harry Grove Stadium and end at the steps of Alumnae Hall. Following the march, around 11:30, speakers will be invited to share their wisdom and help celebrate our “progress of Hood College, the Frederick Community and our country over the past 50 years”.
Our college is known for having students who are very involved and active both on campus and in the community and the march proves no different. Dean White explains that, “the committee has grown from five to over 60 members including students, faculty, staff and community partners.”
Important leaders involved with this march who deserve recognition are Travis Eichelberger and Caity Battey, who are the student engagement coordinators for the events. Dean White and others involved with the anniversary events and activities urge anyone who is interested in getting involved to
help in any way possible. “All events are free and open to the public…registration is not required to participate in the march… (but is) strongly recommend[ed]…to estimate the number of participants.”
After the march on Friday, the weekend will continue with a conference on Contemporary Civil Rights Issues on Saturday and will include a keynote speaker and panels… [on] homelessness, voting rights, immigration, HIV/AIDS, mental health, education, LGBTQ and marriage equality. The conference will take place in Rosenstock Hall and will last from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. On Sunday, there will be “an interfaith service and gospel fest featuring Hood College’s Choir.
The final event of the weekend to bring everything together will be the unveiling and dedication of a commissioned mural in memory of Lord Nickens, a prominent civil rights leader in Frederick whose activism helped integrate schools, open bars and restaurants to blacks and combat the Ku Klux Klan.
The March on Frederick and other events commemorating the anniversary of the passage of The Civil Rights Act are an amazing series of events that will add depth to the traditions of Hood College. Make yourself a part of the tradition by participating in the march and other events. These events will celebrate how far we have come and what we have achieved, as well as showcase where we are going in the future.
Information about all of the events and registration for participation can be found at civilrights.hood.edu.
Be the first to comment