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Civil Rights

This is What Black History Month Could Mean for Us

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Art by Peau PorotesanoThe Convocation office delivered MLK Jr. a late birthday gift last Tuesday, Jan. 19 in the form of the first ever “Cultural Competency Table Talk.” During this two-hour discussion between two professors, one pastor and one student, a full Waves Cafe sat in engaged silence. And while the table talk offered excellent advice and a foundational … [Read more...] about This is What Black History Month Could Mean for Us

50 Years Since Selma: The Dream Marches On

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Multimedia Content by Alexander Hayes “God surprises us,” said John Skelly, a 1956 alumnus of George Pepperdine College. The moments that catch us off guard, whether it be for better or for worse, are often the ones that we remember sharpest. John joined 25,000 protesters on March 25, 1965, the final day of the historic voting rights march from Selma to … [Read more...] about 50 Years Since Selma: The Dream Marches On

‘Today, I am a Negro’ – Part II: Trust in the King

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  Continue reading along with John: I was the president of the Oxnard-Port Hueneme Ministerial Association at the time of King’s invitation. My close advisors cautioned me about my participation. My best colleague and friend, the Chief of Police, had memos from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover stating that Martin Luther King had communist leanings. The input I … [Read more...] about ‘Today, I am a Negro’ – Part II: Trust in the King

‘Today, I am a Negro’ – Part III: The Day of the March

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  Continue reading along with John: I spotted my pastor friend, Rev. H.W. Washington who was representing the NAACP group in the Ventura County area. He was pastor of Oxnard’s Trinity Baptist Church. He was a man of deep Christian conviction for civil rights and an inspiration to me during the time of my indecision and consequently my decision to … [Read more...] about ‘Today, I am a Negro’ – Part III: The Day of the March