Over 900 streets in the U.S. are named after
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
And more throughout the world are named for him.
Students at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Dakar, Senegal, relax after classes. Image by Michelle Tyrene Johnson. Senegal, 2019
Bringing Pulitzer Center journalists to St. Louis to spend a few days visiting metro area high schools was once an annual Civitas event that many teachers and students looked forward to. Unfortunately, COVID is still restricting travel and in-person visits to classrooms for students to hear about underreported global issues. The Pulitzer Center has a website full of compelling stories and resources, and remote visits with journalists can still be arranged. So Civitas decided to plan a series of Zoom visits with Michelle Tyrene Johnson, public radio journalist and award-winning playwright, who will be exclusively available on Tuesday, March 8 and Wednesday, March 9 to speak to St. Louis area middle and high school classes. Michelle's hometown is Kansas City, Missouri where nearly three years ago the city council voted to rename Paseo Boulevard in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For many complicated reasons, residents in Kansas City did not want Paseo Boulevard renamed after the civil rights leader, and eventually they voted against it. Despite what it looks like to outsiders, the vote against the renaming "was not a racial issue," says Michelle. But the conflict did inspire an idea for a story project that the Pulitzer Center helped fund called "A Tale of Three Kings," which provided an opportunity for her to travel to Dakar, Senegal; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Memphis, Tennessee. All three cities have streets named for Dr. King, so she embarked on an adventure to explore a global angle on Kansas City's ongoing efforts. Her travels, as a Black American woman, were eye-opening for many reasons. "As Americans we think we know Dr. King in America," Michelle shares. "But we don't know the global version. We know the 'Santa Claus' version." She goes on to say that Dr. King's fight for equality was just as controversial as today's Black Lives Matter movement. Her travels and stories were completed just weeks before Covid shut down the world, so she has not had a lot of opportunity to share her amazing insights.
Explore Michelle's stories in the project, including audio segments, by clicking here.
If you are a teacher who would like to schedule a class to hear Michelle Tyrene Johnson talk about her project and discoveries, click here to sign up for a date (March 8 or March 9) and time.
If you are a student who would like to hear Michelle Tyrene Johnson, share this opportunity with a teacher you know!
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Pulitzer journalist, Michelle Tyrene Johnson, will speak to area middle and high school classes via Zoom, 3/8 & 3/9, about her stories exploring MLK streets in the world. Teachers--sign up your classes to hear her stories.
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Watch & Discuss Short Docs on Sat., March 5
On Saturday, March 5 from 10:00 am until noon we are planning a casual, fun morning of watching mini-documentaries on a variety of topics at the World Community Center (438 N. Skinker Blvd., 63130). In consideration are short films about a prison project influenced by Scandinavian practices, the current wave of book banning in local and national high schools, Boeing's awareness of flaws in its 737 Max airplane before the crashes that killed 346 people, and more--especially ideas you might have! You can suggest topics and/or specific short doc titles when you sign up.
We know it is a rich and valuable experience for students from a variety of different high schools to come together and talk about lofty ideas in a casual, low-key environment. It will be a fun and memorable event!
Snacks and beverages will be served.
Click here to sign up now!
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A Spring HS Model UN is on the Calendar--April 2!
We are not sure of the venue yet, but we have scheduled our spring Model UN for Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 9:00 am until noon. All are invited, including students who did not attend a fall session. Anyone can submit a resolution; however, we will prioritize resolutions submitted in the fall that were not discussed. Students should represent the same country they did at the November or December sessions, or if new to the program, contact Civitas for a list of available countries. If there are duplicate sign ups for the same country from different schools, we will notify you. We can have duplicates, or you might choose to represent a different country if you find out yours is already taken.
Click here to sign up!
Email Stephanie at gavinstephanie89@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
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A Further Look at Gerrymandering
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Saturday, March 5, 2022, 10:00 am-12:00 pm at the World Community Center
Students will watch and discuss short documentaries on several topics, including prison reform modeled after more humane Scandinavian practices.
Sign up here.
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Tuesday, March 8, 2022 and Wednesday, March 9, 2022--Pulitzer journalist visits via Zoom
Public radio journalist and playwright, Michelle Tyrene Johnson, visits area classrooms.
Sign up a class here.
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Saturday, April 2, 2022, 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Spring Model UN session for high school students.
Sign up here.
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Norwegian ski jumper Robert Johansson practices at the Four Hills Tournament in Oberstdorf, Germany on Tuesday, December 28, 2021. -- Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Ukrainian great grandmother, Valentina Constantinovska, on an AK-47 training to defend against a possible Russian attack. "Your mother would do it to," she told NBC's Richard Engel. -- Thanks to Wake Up to Politics' Gabe Fleisher for posting the photo |
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This past week at the United Nations
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