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John Skelly

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

Q&A: A Sit-Down with Pepp Alumnus John Skelly (’56)

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Multimedia Content by Alexander Hayes Pepperdine Graphic Media's Multimedia Producer Alexander Hayes and Digital Strategist Alysha Tsuji visited George Pepperdine College alumnus John Skelly ('56) at his home in Newport Beach where he resides with his wife of 13 years, Norma. We sat down with John in his living room and asked him questions about his memoir, "Today, I am a … [Read more...] about Q&A: A Sit-Down with Pepp Alumnus John Skelly (’56)

‘Today, I am a Negro’ – Part I: Rise Up

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  The day I participated in the historic “Voting Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama,” I asked myself, “What was my true motivation to participate in this life changing event?” Is it because I, as an American Assyrian teenager, grew up in South Central Los Angeles where my closest friends were Negro? Is it Mrs. Bailey, our African American next door … [Read more...] about ‘Today, I am a Negro’ – Part I: Rise Up