MLK Communuty Reading

MLK Blog: Excerpts from the Diary of Barbara Johns

The community reading of “Excerpts from the Diary of Barbara Johns” was held on January 20th at 12:00 outside of Lankford Student Union. It was touching to see such a variety of students and faculty members come together in honor of an event Martin Luther King’s Day.As Dr. Naomi Johnson introduced the event with a speech and then an excerpt was read by people of a variety of faculty members and students, you could see and feel the emotions of those around you, as well as yourself. People of different races, ages, and backgrounds all came together for the cause and individually brought there own personality and passion to the reading of their reading excerpt. Their was a march and singing in honor of Martin Luther King and at the end everyone crowded around in a circle.

I personally connected with this event because I’ve seen my stepsister be somewhat segregated from those around her and the harsh effects it had on her throughout middle and high school. Although, being mentally handicapped is different from being African American in the days of Martin Luther King, everyone has emotions and segregation really hurts all that are burdened with it.

My stepsister constantly had to deal with the immaturity of those in Middle and High School. She wasn’t to mentally handicapped to understand what the things people were saying to her meant and the fact that she could never be normal even if she tried. Although her classes were separated from those who weren’t mentally handicapped, she would still have to deal with them in the hallways, at lunch, and on the school bus. Not only would students ridicule her for being handicapped, tell joke, and laugh; but they would also make fun of her for being fat. She would often come home crying about it on these days and wished for a “:normal life” and the opportunity to fit in with those around her. This is very similar to the way Barbara Johns spoke of her life in her excerpts and is something that will never completely go away. However, it’s touching that we can still all come together in the fight.