Recent 1961 Civil Rights Celebration Events
Annette Jones White was given her title and crown during the 2010, October, Albany State University Coronation by our own Miss Albany State Ali'yah Arnold on Sunday October 3, 2010. This was followed by a week of events centered around honoring Annette Jones White's sacrifice 50 years ago. Also during the week leading up to Albany State's homecoming game, Mrs. White was the keynote speaker, Friday, October 9, 2010, at our convocation. Her speech can be found in our Spring 2011 Albany State Aspire Alumni Magazine.
Also in October, as a salute to the efforts of SNCC and the hard work of Albany State's 1961 student voter registration canvassers, the current student organizations came out October 23, 2010 and painted the voters wall in an effort to get everyone out to vote on campus. Many of them were concerned about the legacy of our 1961 activists continuing into the 21st century.
During the Month of November, Albany State University collaborated with the Albany Civil Rights Institute and featured two evenings devoted to celebrating the Albany Freedom Riders. On November 17, the university and the civil rights institute featured a sneak preview of the PBS film "The Freedom Riders." And, on November 18, two of the Freedom Riders, Dr. A. Lenora Taitt-Magubane and Ms. Joan Browning gave a talk at the old railroad station resturant where they both rode into the history books as one of the SNCC members that tested the ICC Ruling in December 1961.
During Black History Month Albany State University sponsored three major events:
The celebration sponsored a screening of the film "The Lena Baker Story."
There was a panel discussion that featured three students from Albany State College's 1961 Civil Rights Activists. On February 23, 2011, Dr. Janie Culbreath Rambeau, Mr. Andrew Reid, and Mr. Donchester Johnson discussed what it was to be a student activists working with SNCC under the direction of Charles Sherrod, Cordell Reagon, Charles Jones, and Charles Neblett. They also considered how their early work with SNCC aided in sparking the Albany Movement 50 years ago.
The university did a screening of the film "Eyes On the Prize," the Albany segment.
During the Month of March, Albany State University sponsored a Presidential Symposium. On March 31, 2011, retired President Dr. Benjamin F. Payton was the keynote speaker in a discussion that centered around the importance of HBCUs in the 21st century. His speech also considered how things were in the South during the Civil Rights Movement and what it took for these institutions to produce the foot soliders that would become important leaders in the Civil Rights Movement.
During the Month of April, Albany State University's Founder's Day Celebration saluted our heritage with keynote speaker, Dr. William G. Anderson, President of the Albany Civil Rights Movement. On April 1, 2011, he discussed the success of the Albany Movement and how it changed the city forever.
