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MORRIS BROWN
COLLEGE
lP)h 7 oriiH‘ -i'
OBSERVER
“Dedicated to Educating the Leaders of Tomorrow” in the AUC
King Week Convocation
Dr. Ozell Sutton addressing students Dr. Gloria Anderson making her first
at the King Week Convocation. appearance before the college as new
Interim President.
by Carvel Bennett,
Director Student
Publications
D espite the
hard rain
at times
and some
what cold
tempera
tures, Mor
ris Brown students, faculty,
administrators, staff and well-
wishers filed into the John H.
Lewis gymnasium to hear
noted civil rights advocate
Dr. Ozell Sutton, the featured
speaker for the King Week
convocation. The convocation
was also the occasion for the
introduction of Dr. Gloria L.
Anderson to the college com
munity, as the new interim
president.
In an address that was
meant to motivate new stu
dents and revitalize returning
ones, Dr. Sutton shared with
the audience his connections
to Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.,
his association with other no
table civil rights leaders and
advocates, and his involve
ment with the movement.
He even gave a brief anecdote
about John H. Lewis the for
mer president of Morris
Brown College for whom the
gymnasium is named.
Using what he called one of
the few things he remembered
from his college physics class,
that no two objects can occupy
the same space at the same
time, Dr. Sutton then asked
the students the rhetorical
question “...what are you
going to do within your space
during your time?”. Citing
examples of the move to dis
band affirmative action, the
growing problem of juvenile
crime, and high unemploy
ment among young blacks -
he pointed out to the students
that they are currently occu
pying difficult times and that
they must make the best use
of their time here at Morris
Brown College. He challenged
them to study hard, make use
of all opportunities afforded
them, and be prepared to go
back to their communities to
make a difference and to en
sure that the work of Dr. King
and others will continue.
In her remarks, Dr. Ander- ,
son also used the occasion to
motivate students. She chal
lenged them not just to be the
best Black doctor, lawyer,
entrepreneur or scientist, but
to be the best doctor, lawyer,
entrepreneur or scientist they
can be.
Dr. Ozell Sutton is Regional Director
of the Southeast Region Community
Relations Service of the U.S. Justice
Department. He is a noted motiva
tional speaker and lecturer on civil
rights issues.
Morris Brown
Receives
Gift of Art
by Carvel Bennett
n Thursday,
January 15 at
the first convoca
tion of the Spring semester,
Morris Brown College receiv
ed a most appropriate addi
tion to its growing art collec
tion. The stunning work en
titled “The Spirit of Martin”,
was presented to Dr. Gloria
Anderson on behalf of the
college.
The art portrays the late
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
in a passive pose, next to the
backdrop of the American flag
and vignettes of Caucasian
and Black children playing
together, the nation’s Capitol
with demonstrators partici
pating in the 1963 civil rights
march, and Abraham Lincoln
in the foreground. Morris
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
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President Clinton announces that
Ebony Branches receives Martin
Luther King Day of Service Grant
by Rhea Watson
P resident Clinton an
nounced in his holiday
radio address that
Ebony Branches is one of
only a small number of organ
izations to receive a 1998
Martin Luther King Day
of Service grant. Hundreds
of organizations applied for
the grants made by the
Corporation for National
Service. Grants were given
to organizations that showed
exceptional ability to imple
ment service activities that
honor Dr. King’s legacy by
bringing people together to
solve community problems.
In Atlanta, Ebony Bran
ches in collaboration with
Morris Brown College will
host the first annual Ms.
Freedom Atlanta Scholar
ship Pageant; in memory of
the late great Dr. Martin L.
King, Jr. The scholarship
pageant is designed to help
Rhea Watson
young women who are juniors
and seniors in an Atlanta City
High School attend a local
Historically Black College or
University. The candidates
will receive a number of cash-
awards, savings bonds and
gifts. In addition, the partici
pants will receive leadership
training, college survival and
preparation skills, and will
commit to service in their
community.
Rhea Watson, a recent
Morris Brown College gradu
ate and founder/president of
Ebony Branches states, “This
is what my institution of
higher learning was built on,
service to people. It gives me
great pleasure to help give
young women the opportunity
to receive a quality education.
I look forward to imparting
wisdom and the desire for
achievement to these rising
stars. Please give of yourself
on the most beautiful day of
the birth of a wonderful hu
man being Dr. King. We are
in extreme need of volunteers
and participants for the
pageant.”
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