- Collection:
- Land of (Unequal) Opportunity: Documenting the Civil Rights Struggle in Arkansas
- Title:
- University of Arkansas Commencement Address, 1958
- Publisher:
- Fayetteville, Ark. : University of Arkansas Libraries
- Date of Original:
- 1958
- Subject:
- African Americans--Arkansas
Civil rights--Arkansas
Race discrimination--Arkansas
Segregation--Arkansas - Location:
- United States, Arkansas, 34.75037, -92.50044
- Medium:
- speeches (documents)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- University of Arkansas Commencement Address given by University president Dr. John T. Caldwell.
African-Americans -- Blacks -- Education -- Fayetteville -- Washington
"O mother, mother, make my bed, O make it soft and narrow; My love has died for me today I'll die for him tomorrow...." But nevertheless, some words I have on the sentiment of commencement, gradu- ates and Alma Mater. The focus of Commencement derives from two dimmensions, the human, personal dimension and that of time. These exercises are a present moment of time in the life of each of you, with all the special meanings your past and your present dreams for the future give to it. After tonight a milestone will past. Even as you go to bed tonight somehow your orientation will have shifted a little bit more to tomorrow, to what's next for you along the way. Contemplating this special point of time for you, I am reminded of Roark Bradford's Old Man Adam and His Children. "De Lawd" was talking with Noah about the prospect of rain for "fawty days and fawty nights". Noah was not aware that he was talking with "de Lawd", until de Lawd reached into his blouse, pulled out his crown and set it on his head. "Den he start to talk, and thunder and light- nin' come outer his mouf. So old Noah jes drap down on his knees. " 'Yar I is Lawd," he say, "Yar I is. I ain't much, but I'm de best I got' ". I know a young man in this class for whom this moment is a great moment in- deed. Married as a high school youth, working as a high school graduate, he reached the decision he needed more education. Tonight is the climax of the years since that decision marked by dogged financial struggle, hard work at not one but several part time jobs, and great academic success. Tomorrow, following this point of time, he moves into a substantial corporation position with ample salary to support him and his wife and children and maybe to help the folcks back home a little. - 2 - - Metadata URL:
- http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/ref/collection/Civilrights/id/1819
- IIIF manifest:
- https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/iiif/2/Civilrights:1819/manifest.json
- Additional Rights Information:
- Please contact Special Collections for information on copyright.
- Original Collection:
- University of Arkansas Office of the President
- Contributing Institution:
- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Libraries
- Rights:
-
