Congressman and Civil Rights Leader Visits Myers Park High

In celebration of Myers Park High School’s annual Law Day activities on May 3, Congressman John Lewis from Georgia shared dialogue with students at the school.

The Law Day theme for 2004 was To Win Equality by Law: Brown vs. Board of Education at 50, and was sponsored by the Mecklenburg County Law Association.

Congressman Lewis, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has been described as “One of the most courageous persons the Civil Rights Movement ever produced.” He has dedicated his life to protecting human rights, securing personal dignity and building what he calls “The Beloved Community.” The dialogue was video conferenced with Durham area high school students from Duke University’s John Hope Franklin Center.

Distinguished historian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient John Hope Franklin and Congressman Lewis each responded to questions asked by the Myers Park students and those assembled at Duke. Dr. Franklin responded from Duke.

Dorothy Counts, who in 1957 was one of four black students to enter previously all white schools in Charlotte, also took part in the Law Day activities at Myers Park. Counts was the first black student to attend Harding High School, which received much controversy.