Local students and young people across our nation are speaking up and taking action about important issues. While some may think their protests mean little in the face of political logjams and entrenched policies, history tells a different story.
Change often comes about due to the relentless dedication of young adults, teens, and even younger kids. The famous Soweto uprising, for example, occurred because children decided it was time to challenge the racist system of apartheid in a serious way. Twenty thousand children marched that day, with some making the ultimate sacrifice as they were cut down by South African police bullets.
History is populated with many brave young people like Ziad Ahmed, Malala Yousafzai, Julia Butterfly Hill, Freeman Hrabowski, and thousands of others who stand up, speak up, and even put their lives on the line.
Consider recent news stories marking the fiftieth anniversary of the student takeover of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Those Howard students helped push along the national conversation and action regarding racism in the US.
The 1968 protest began with students objecting to Howard’s compulsory R.O.T.C. program at a time when the Vietnam War grew increasingly unpopular among Americans. They also wanted to increase the number of academic programs related to Black and African history and literature.
The Howard students who participated in the several-day sit-in at the university’s administration building did not instantly bring down American versions of apartheid. But they contributed to the struggle and moved us along.
The Howard story brings to mind a local connection.
A quarter-century before the 1968 sit-ins, a smaller, quieter protest took place in a segregated D.C. diner, instigated by two Howard students. One of the students, Juanita Morrow — later known as Juanita Nelson — went on to become a pivotal figure in civil rights and freedom movements, as well as a renowned resident of our Pioneer Valley, along with her husband Wally.
Here is Juanita’s story, in her own words:
“My friend and I were sick and tired of segregation and decided to take matters into our own hands. Without much discussion, we walked into a diner and ordered hot chocolate. The counter waitress said they didn’t serve our kind. We told her our kind was human, just like her, and we refused to move. The waitress disappeared into the kitchen and came back with two mugs of hot chocolate filled only halfway. She slammed them down, spilling from each cup, and demanded twenty-five cents from each of us.
“My friend and I pointed to the sign above our heads, which clearly stated that hot chocolate was a dime, not a quarter. The waitress rudely replied that, for us, the price was twenty-five cents. If we didn’t pay, the owner would call the police. We did what was right: we each placed a dime on the counter. We waited a few minutes and got up to leave, but as we turned around, two police officers told us we were under arrest for theft. They carted us off to jail.”
Juanita’s first arrest, to be followed by many more throughout her life, proved her willingness to walk her talk.
I applaud the Recorder for covering local student protests. These young folks are inheriting a world in which some adults have gone to sleep, apathetic in the face of the status quo.
But I know many adults who join me in celebrating the courage and passion of local youngsters who walk in the footsteps of local, national, and international heroes. Their predecessors would be proud, and they would say, “Never quit.”
Eveline MacDougall is the mother of a teenager, an enthusiastic substitute teacher, and founder and director of the Amandla Chorus. She lives in Northfield.