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Vol. 40 No. II Serving the CLAYTON STATE UNIVERSITY Community January 28, 2008 Billye S. Aaron Shares Her Story of Martin Luther King By John Shiffert, University Relations layton State University’s annual al reflection, a very personal history, it Martin Luther King, Jr., was. From 1959 until 1970 Aaron was CCommemoration Day has featured married to the late Dr. Samuel W. many noted Civil Rights figures over the Williams, professor of Philosophy and eight years since University President Dr. Religion at Morehouse College, and a col- Billye Aaron Thomas K. Harden initiated the event in league and contemporary of King. In fact, during her January 2001. Williams was King’s professor when the speech at late Civil Rights leader was a student at Spivey Hall Andrew Young. Joseph Lowery, John Morehouse. And, as Billye Aaron’s sec- Lewis, Julian Bond and many others have ond husband (Williams died following a shared their thoughts over the past eight surgical procedure in 1970), Henry Aaron, Photo Credit: Erin Fender years as part of the living history of the noted in his autobiography, not only was movement. However, on the night of Williams King’s teacher, and “one of the future generations,” she said in opening Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008, an audience in giants of the civil rights movement in her talk. “We are heirs to a great and noble the University’s Spivey Hall heard a dif- Atlanta,” but King credited Williams for legacy. We are the recipients of someone ferent, more personal view of Dr. Martin many of his ideas. else’s sacrifices. Luther King, Jr. from this year’s keynote speaker, Atlanta educator and media per- “Martin was in and out of our lives, and “This generation needs to know who sonality Billye S. Aaron. we were in and out of his life,” noted Martin Luther King was, what he stood Aaron during her address Thursday night. for, and what he stood against.” The theme for evening was, “Civil Rights “I married Sam in May 1959 and that in Atlanta: A Personal Reflection threw me into the Civil Rights move- Aaron told of her experiences in Atlanta, Featuring Billye S. Aaron.” And a person- ment.” which she characterized as “a segregated Thus, Aaron’s reminisces of King were city,” in the late 50s and 60s, telling how both of the leader of the pre-eminent she couldn’t eat in the main dining rooms Inside American social movement of the 20th of Rich’s nor walk in the front door of the Century, and a personal recollection of a Fox Theater. To overcome these preju- Departments: friend. dices, “Atlanta needed a lot of people to put their lives on the line,” she said. Arts Page . .4 Recounting her memories of King from Included among those people, in addition Across the Campus . .6 the time she met him and his family dur- to Williams, she noted, were Atlanta may- Life’s Transitions . .11 ing a weekend visit to the King home in ors William Hartsfield and Ivan Allen. Trivia Time . .13 Montgomery, Al. in 1959, Aaron told her Sports . .16 story against the backdrop of her own While telling her story of the civil rights experiences in the Civil Rights move- movement in Atlanta, Aaron skillfully ment. A lifetime member of the NAACP interwove her memories of King, painting In This Issue: and a passionate advocate of black higher perhaps a somewhat different picture of Black History Month Events.......2 education, Aaron taught on the high King the man than the average individ- Biology Student Awarded $15K..3 school and college level for some 12 ual’s perception might include. Fund Drive Celebration...........3, 14 years. For 14 years, she was one of the Joan Murphy’s Story....................8 United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) “Martin was a fun kind of guy. Fun to be VITA...........................................12 premiere fundraisers -- retiring in 1994 as around, fun to talk to, fun to exchange Student Hopes to “Change vice president of the Southern Region. ideas with,” she noted. “He loved a good the Future”..................................12 She has also been a member of the joke, and he told a good joke.” Distinguished Alumni Sought.....13 NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Educational Board for more than 25 years. It was clear that Aaron and her first hus- band had known King and his family well, “We live by liberties we did not secure. It is our responsibility to pass those along to Aaron, cont’d., p. 9 Campus Review Page 2 January 28, 2008 Clayton State Plans Black History Month Events The Clayton State University Office of in the Baker Center Commons area, fea- include; Jena 6, economic inequalities, Campus Life has scheduled a total of turing Pat Brown, Lav Luv and Big Sean police brutality, and snitching. seven events in February in conjunction Larkins. with Black History Month. All the events “The Trends and Development of African- Local choirs and artists from metro are free and open to the public. Americans” lecture will take place on Atlanta will be featured at a “Gospel Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 12:30 p.m. in room Choir Explosion” on Sunday, Feb. 24 in The Black History Month calendar will 272 of the Baker Center. the University’s world famous Spivey include a comedy show, two lectures, two Hall, starting at 5 p.m. musical events, a town hall meeting and a The first of two musical presentations, a final event on Thursday, Feb. 28 that will “Celebration of Expression,” will also be Following Tretheway’s poetry reading, feature a keynote speaker, dining and cul- held in the Baker Center Commons on Q&A session and book signing starting at tural performances. In addition, the Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. This musical 6 p.m. on Feb. 26 in room 272 of the Clayton State University Lyceum and the showcase will trace the history of black Baker Center, Black History Month will University’s Language and Literature music and pay tribute to its pioneers. conclude with the Feb. 28 finale, also in Department will sponsor 2007 Pulitzer the Commons area of the Baker Center. Prize winning poet Natasha Tretheway as The month’s second lecture, “The `N’ Individuals who wish to take part in the part of the Visiting Writers Reading Series Word,” will be given by Clayton State 6:30 p.m. finale must RSVP to Clayton on Tuesday, Feb. 26 Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. State Assistant Director of Campus Life Mario Norman on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at Lakiesa Cantey at The theme of Black History Month at 12:30 p.m. in room 272 of the Baker [email protected]. Clayton State is “Carter G. Woodson and Center. Norman will lead a discussion on the Origins of Multiculturalism: the use of the most controversial racial Cantey is the contact person for all of the Embracing our Past and Reaffirming our slur. Black History Month events. She can also Identity.” Woodson (1875-1950) was an be reached at (678) 466-5433. For more African American historian, author and Room 272 of the Baker Center will also information on Black History Month journalist and the founder of Black be the site, at 7:30 p.m. on the evening of events at Clayton State, go to History Month. The month’s events at Feb. 20, of a town hall meeting featuring http://adminservices.clayton.edu/campuslife/bhm.htm Clayton State will kick off with a an open discussion of the stat of Black Wednesday, Feb. 6 comedy show at 7 p.m. America. Topics of discussion will Billye S. Aaron Speaks on Education to Clayton State Students By John Shiffert, University Relations Billye S. Aaron began her day at Clayton “Education is the one thing that no one community since the Civil Rights State University Thursday by conducting can take from you,” she told her student movement. a student dialogue on the value of educa- audience as a way of emphasizing the tion in front of a standing room only value of education. “A most valuable tool. “It certainly is a privilege to introduce packed house in the University’s Arts & A tool that civilized people cannot live her,” said Kopanezos, a Decatur native Sciences Theater. without. who will graduate from Clayton State this spring. “Of course, it is a bit intimidating Following an introduction by Clayton “There is a perception that education has State University senior History major changed. It’s the challenges and demands Aaron on Ed., cont’d., p. 10 Karen Kopanezos, president of the of education that have changed.” University’s History Society, Aaron immediately grabbed hold of her audi- Aaron spoke on how the Civil Rights ence’s attention by taking issue with the movement has, and has not, changed edu- subject of the dialogue, “How the value of cation, noting that the movement has education has changed from the beginning imposed a need for greater preparation of the Civil Rights movement to the pres- among African-American students, in part ent.” because the playing field has not yet been leveled, in part because of the long histo- “Education has changed since the start of ry wherein blacks were discouraged or the Civil Rights movement, but not the legally prohibited from getting an educa- value of education,” she noted. “Its rela- tion, and in part because getting an educa- Photo Credit: Erin Fender tive worth has not changed. Value remains tion has only been a priority in the black Karen Kopanezos constant.” during her introduction Campus Review January 28, 2008 Page 3 Biology Student Receives $15,000 Award from SEEDS By Erin Fender, University Relations Serge Alexander Farinas, a Clayton State At the 2008 annual meeting for the University biology student, was recently Ecological Society of America, Farinas awarded the $15,000 Strategies for will be recognized as the SEEDS award Ecology Education, Development and recipient.

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