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 "From Struggle to Triumph to Tomorrow" Literary Contest Winners
1st place: Ann Baumer, 10th GradeEvery inaction is an action. When Barbara Johns led her student body out of Moton High School April 23, 1951, she acted to change our country forever. In not attending school, Johns and her classmates acted against an issue they knew to be wrong. Because of it, history will never be the same. Every dream usually starts with sleeping, wars with fighting, and fairytales with once upon a time. While many students at Moton High School may have been merely sleepwalking through their leaky, run down hallways, Johns’ dreams started playing. She decided it was time for change. Getting up to speak in front of my entire school is certainly not at the top of my to-do list. But 16-year-old Johns did just that. Even going as far as banging her shoe against the podium, she captivated her audience. She spoke out against the ways of their world. All the students had to do was look around to know this “separate but equal” was anything but. She said, “It was time that Negroes were treated equally with whites, time that they had a decent high school, time for the students themselves to do something about it.”. Her enthusiasm, determination, and passion spread until not just a few excited students, but the entire student body followed right behind her. Courage. To me, courage translates into Barbara Rose Johns. Johns was a soldier that day. She fought in the war for equality. At 16 years old, without even realizing the depths of her voice, she was a leader. The right thing is not always the easiest. Being in high school, I have found that it hardly ever is. This courage brought an amazing outcome. It was this same student-led walkout that was used as a base for the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka case. When Moton High School walked out the door, they left the segregated ways behind them. They crossed the threshold to a better life, leaving their old ways in the run down building. When all odds were against these children, even their simple walkout yielded unimaginable results. The students could not have dreamed of what would come of their strike. It was the first of its kind, and only the beginning. It would take years of violence, court rulings, laws and money to finally seal the deal in ending racial segregation. Our grandparents endured the hardships of this controversial time. “Separate but equal” is now officially unconstitutional. I am awestruck that one student could lead her school to changes to the Constitution of the United States. Hopefully, our society has learned from the actions of Johns and those like her. I can relate to Johns, being of the same age, in high school, and see her selfless action. It challenges me and my entire generation to continue in her footsteps. It is up to us to ensure history does not go back to the unjust ways of segregation. It challenges me to step up and take a stand for what I believe in. I cannot help but think: What is wrong with my school, community, or country, and what can I do to fix it? As my mom always says, “Fix it or learn to deal with it.” Success usually doesn’t come handed to us on a golden platter. By not trying to fix what I know to be wrong, then I would have no right to complain. I would have to deal with it. Johns took matters into her own hands at school in 1951. She did not just stand by and watch. Knowing it would not be easy, she took a stand and played her part in fixing the social and educational inequities of our country. Looking back, Barbara Johns is a hero. She was a civil rights pioneer who overcame countless obstacles to reach her goals. From crosses being burned in her front yard, to physical threats and extreme economic constraints, the Johns as well as the entire black community felt the repercussions of the walk out. Johns had to move in with her uncle in Alabama to remain safe and attend school the next year. It was never easy. It will not be now either. But the results outweigh any road blocks along the way. Her actions have taught my generation to appreciate our equal opportunities. Human nature ensures never ending inequities. It is our desire to change these that will ensure the continuation of her legacy. Barbara Rose Johns showed the world that it is not just celebrities and politicians who are capable of making a difference. Even a small town 16-year-old girl can bring forth change. Her legacy lives in everyone who stands up for what they believe in. I am part of that legacy. 2nd place: Samuel Hester, 11th Grade
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One Brave Young Woman One brave young woman took a stand, |
3rd place: Nathan Fleming, 10th Grade
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Marble is a beauty we can all see Black and White mixed together beautifully It takes lots of time heat and pressure To bring about this swirling treasure But they are beautiful only when they are together
Many years ago one can only remember When a fledgling marble was being heated by a growing ember This ember grew into a raging fire Uniting them into a lovely rock to admire This fire could not have started on its own From a tiny spark it must have grown To meld two together from there on That tiny spark was Barbara Johns
Knowing that segregated education Was improper for many students across the nation Blacks were here and White were there Thus separating the wondrous marble pair That no one was able to learn in half built schools In which when it rained formed tiny pools When it was cold you had to wear a jacket And wind would make the loudest racket How knowledge could be attained throughout this Was something Barbara knew was definitely amiss
So through her actions she started a court case This young teen was the strong base Staring segregation straight in the face She changed the world by starting in her place To mold a marble swirled together with grace
Now thanks to Barbara we have better education One that is helped by desegregation That accepts anyone from every nation Thereby giving us broader knowledge And equal acceptances into college Upstanding facilities without hatred so crude Though some could use better food
So Barbara has taught us all see That prejudice destroys true beauty And that segregation Actually hinders education |