THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503010231
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines
IT RESEMBLED a scene from the turbulent 1960s: Marchers lining a roadside, singing uplifting spirituals and carrying placards demanding freedom and equality for black Americans.
But these ``freedom marchers'' were students from Chesapeake's Daniels Christian School, re-creating a civil rights ``freedom march'' as part of their observance of Black History Month.
A few minutes before last week's march, the group assembled in the sanctuary of the St. Paul United Methodist Church to pray and to listen to some encouraging words from the Rev. Antonio R. Woolard, youth pastor and director of the urban outreach program for the Second Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk, who had marched with the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other African-American civil rights leaders.
``You are going out in inspiration,'' Woolard told the assembly. ``You will march in significance of our past. Go out and shine for the world. You are our future and our hope. Are you ready?''
To that question, the group yelled back an enthusiastic ``Yes!''
Not content merely to hold classroom lectures or assemblies during the annual observance of Black History Month, Shawn Eure, the school's teacher of black cultural studies, wanted her students not only to learn about the civil rights movement of the '60s but to feel and experience what it was like.
Eure brought in guest speakers, organized a black history play, held educational and cultural events and exhibits, staged the freedom march and ``segregated'' the predominantly black student body at Daniels School for a day to allow them to experience life before civil rights legislation.
``I'm 24, and this is an experience I never had,'' Eure said, leading the march while cradling her toddler daughter. ``It's an experience I want my children to have.''
The procession down Dunbarton Drive to Indian River High School was led by 7-year-olds Sarah Perry and Devique Bennett, who held up a banner reading ``Freedom March.''
Teachers and parent volunteers helped keep the procession orderly and spirited.
Other students, marching in the face of a chilling wind, held up signs promoting brotherhood and honoring the original ``freedom marchers.''
The placards read, ``Thank God, our forefathers paved the road to freedom,'' ``Love,'' ``Unity,'' ``Thank God, we're free'' and ``No more riding in the back of the bus.''
``If our children can march for freedom, then we can all love and work and pray together,'' Woolard said, while heading the procession with Eure and his colleague, the Rev. Ronald Godsey, also from the Second Calvary Church. ``God sees only one color, and that is red, the color of his Son's and man's blood.''
The marchers, young and old, sang the songs of the early civil rights movement. With shivering, yet spirited voices, they sang the same anthems that gave marchers of the '60s comfort many years ago. The songs including traditional spirituals like ``Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'' and ``Amen'' along with ``Lift Every Voice and Sing'' and the movement's historic theme, ``We Shall Overcome.''
``Does anyone know `Amazing Grace?' '' one parent volunteer asked some children near her.
``I know `Jingle Bells,' '' one of the younger marchers replied with a grin.
``I love it. I love it,'' Woolard and Godsey exclaimed in unison at the children's enthusiasm and the charming reply of the would-be caroler.
The marchers made their way to their destination, the commons area of Indian River High School, where they warmed up by giving a heartfelt rendition of ``We Shall Overcome'' and ``Let There Be Peace On Earth.''
Several Indian River High students, faculty and staff members looked on with smiles.
A few even took photos of the group.
Finally, the march ambled back to the Daniels school, as a few passing motorists honked approval or flashed smiles and thumbs-up signals.
After the march, several of the school's older children contemplated the meaning of what they had done.
``During the march I thought about Martin Luther King Jr. and what he and his followers went through,'' said fifth-grader Erica Jordan, 10. ``I thought about their pride and honor and how they marched in wind and rain. We thought the cold was hard but it gave us the opportunity to see what they felt.''
``Back then, Martin Luther King and the others suffered so we could go to schools like this,'' said 12-year-old Anthony Daniels, a seventh-grade student. ``And they had to endure the violence of water cannons, vicious dogs, arrests, racial taunts. All we had to endure was the cold.''
``We should be thankful we're free from the struggles our forefathers went through,'' said Quentin Nixon, a 9-year-old fourth-grader. ``When marching, I thought about the bondage they suffered under.''
``I felt as if I were back in the '60s during a real freedom march,'' said 10-year-old Emmanuel Ricks, a third-grade student. ``It's something I'll tell my children about.''
``I would tell my children to go to school and take advantage of the education our forefathers' struggles helped get,'' said third-grader James Garris, 8. ``Our ancestors fought so we could go to school, so don't waste your time in school. They marched through wind and rain and water cannons and getting shot down.''
All of the students agreed the freedom march taught them an important lesson and showed what it was like to have marched during the turbulent and violent civil rights struggles of the '60s.
``We learned to keep our heads to the sky and never give up, to never let your head drop down,'' Erica added. ``And we should keep on fighting. The war isn't over.'' MEMO: [For a related story, see page 11 of The Clipper for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
FREEDOM MARCH
[Color Photo]
Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
One third-grader is led away while another gets a drink at the ``for
colored only'' fountain.
Chanel Armstrong, left, and Anson Burden sit in ``segregated''
classes during a re-creation of the civil rights movement at Daniels
School.
Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
``Freedom marchers'' made their way back to Daniels Christian School
after carrying signs to Indian River High School.
KEYWORDS: CHRISTIAN SCHOOL by CNB