Event Itinerary
Programs and events are open to Bridgewater College and the local communities.
Parking restrictions will be relaxed for this event.
Monday, January 21st, 2019
Noon | Civil Rights March
Opening statement by Bridgewater College student Keon Nesmith, class of 2020.
All participants are asked to meet at Oakdale Park in Bridgewater at Shelter #1.
Shuttles for participants who need assistance to the park will be available at the Kline Campus Center flagpole area (parking lot entrance) around 11:30 am. Guides will also be departing on foot at that time to assist other participants.
The march will proceed from Oakdale Park to Bridgewater Town Hall where President David Bushman and Mayor Ted Flory will address participants. The march will then continue onward to Bridgewater College [Route Map].
Oakdale Park
1:00 pm | Official reception for participants
Reception featuring hot chocolate and light snacks. Participants will have the opportunity to view student artwork and artifacts of the Civil Rights Era.
Kline Campus Center – Lobby
1:30 pm | Interactive Forum with Derek Greenfield, Motivational Speaker and Diversity & Inclusion Consultant | Confronting Ourselves: Building for Inclusive Excellence and Equity at Bridgewater College
In this dynamic, interactive session, participants will be challenged to look deeply within themselves and Bridgewater College to appreciate our collective strengths, to identify critical areas for growth and change so that all members of our beloved community feel valued, and to adopt the framework of inclusive excellence as a vehicle for ensuring that everyone can function and perform at their best. Following a series of community-building activities, the presenter will engage participants in exercises that highlight the ways in which their cultural identities shape their belief systems and patterns of behavior. By confronting our own unconscious biases and discovering strategies for deeper understanding in this session, the Bridgewater family will be better positioned to intentionally adopt more inclusive philosophies and practices. The presenter will also offer a host of proven skills for effective cross-cultural communication that can be implemented immediately to bring people closer together and foster healthier conversations around challenging issues. The session concludes with a powerful opportunity for participants to share personally and celebrate one another, offering a transformative experience that strengthens bonds of trust and commitment.
Cole Hall
7:30 pm | Endowed Lecture with keynote speaker Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, VA Tech | An Evening of Poetry, Love, and Enlightenment
Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Over the past 30 years, her outspokenness, in her writing and in lectures, has brought the eyes of the world upon her. One of the most widely-read American poets, she prides herself on being “a Black American, a daughter, a mother, a professor of English.” Giovanni remains as determined and committed as ever to the fight for civil rights and equality. Always insisting on presenting the truth as she sees it, she has maintained a prominent place as a strong voice of the Black community. Her focus is on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others.
Cole Hall
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019
Noon – 5:00 pm | Sankofa Museum on Wheels
The Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels provides a detailed display of artifacts, commencing with the Middle Passage (slavery) to the era of King Cotton, to the days of Emancipation. Although a traveling museum based on the history of the African-American, an experience with the Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels transcends cultures and ethnicities, as the educational tour inspires all viewers leaving each with a sense of empowerment.
Kline Campus Center – Boitnott Room and Lobby
6:00 pm | Presentation by Angela Jennings, founder and curator of the Sankofa Museum on Wheels
Angela Jennings will provide additional information about Dr. and Mrs. King to highlight their work during the civil rights era. Join us as we interact to discuss and learn more about the King legacy.
Cole Hall