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In my English class, we've been talking about racism and the Civil Rights Movement. For one assignment, we were asked to write a persuasive essay related to the movie, Remember the Titans. I decided to write mine from the perspective of a student leader speaking to a group of students at the school.

We were told to prepare some notes before class and then had to write the essay in the time space of one period, which is one hour and fifteen minutes.

I chose to reference several Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes within my "speech" to the students because no one embodies the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement like him. I've always found his courage very inspiring.

The Essay:

Following is the text of my essay, which is word for word what I wrote in the class.

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I have gathered you here today to protest the racist events surrounding the integration of the African American students at TC Williams. You know me, you all voted me to lead this student association, yet some of you are supporting the racist events that are slowly but surely bringing this city it’s knees. Racism should not be present in modern society.

Racism separates us and causes violence. You all know Petey. He was harmlessly talking to some of the female students, and was attacked because of this. White male students, and was attacked because of this. White male students can talk to whoever they want, so why can’t Petey? He is a hard working member of the Titans, he is not a bad person or a negative influence in any way. His only ‘crime’ is being African American. Petey was overpowered five to one, but thankfully some of the more mature students, Gerry and Julius, stopped the fight. Martin Luther King, have you even heard of him? He said that “violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral… violence never brings permanent peace.”

Furthermore, these discriminatory actions cause injustice. Do we want to be known as the high school that refused to allow equality? The high school that doesn’t move with modern times and treat all equal regardless of race? Martin Luther King said that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He also said, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” Even one of the referees at a Titans game was refereeing unfairly against our team because of the African Americans on our team. Surely Martin Luther King’s fight should have won some justice for his people, our American people! It is now 1971, years after his assassination. Did he die in vain?

Racism is learned. Children weren’t born thinking that African Americans were a lesser race. After what people like Martin Luther King went through, shouldn’t we no longer be teaching our children to be racist? We are intelligent, privileged human beings, shouldn’t we be past racism? As Martin Luther King said, “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism.” Not only is it wrong, but it is unacceptable that we carry on teaching the next generation, our own children, to be racist.

Segregation is a thing of the past. As I said earlier, after all the work of the likes of Martin Luther King and even Abraham Lincoln, shouldn’t segregation not be present? My fellow students it is a thing of the past. You think this is justice? Please! “Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress,” said Martin Luther King. Our own coach Boone said that “If we don’t come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed.” No longer must we be bound to this ridiculous discrimination.

My fellow students, after all I’ve said, for the sake of the African American students, for the sake of those who died fighting for what we are fighting for this very day, for the sake of our society, even our own city. For TC Williams. Please, take what I have said to heart and don’t forget it. Racism is a thing of the past and should not be present in this modern society. Thankyou for your time.

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5 Inspiring Quotes From Martin Luther King, Jr:

1. “violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral… violence never brings permanent peace.”

2. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

3. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

4. “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism.”

5. “Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.”

Which of those do you find the most inspiring?

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