University of Arkansas Commencement Address, 1958

Allow image comparison in viewer

What is IIIF?

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
How can we measure this moment for him, linking as it does a penny-conscious past with a future open-ended with hope and increasing bounty? I know a mother who this evening gets a Master's degree. Her salary in her small elementary school will be higher next year because she has this evening received a piece of paper which says to her ---"you did it." That piece of paper says many more things to her, how she can get the living room fixed up now, at least that. And it will help her 17-year-old daughter go to college next year and her young David later on. And they are ever so proud of their mother. I know a beautiful girl in the class who came here four years ago, abundantly supported financially, but with no special purpose in mind except "to go to the University" and enjoy it. She has enjoyed it to the hilt and has caused more than one male heart to miss a beat as she passed through the corridors and along the paths. But something more has happenned to her here. She suddenly found the excitment of learning, she discovered her own mind, and now she wants to use it --- teaching. What a prize she is! And how can we measure for her the meaning of tonight? I know a Negro in this MA class tonight who entered his State's University with some apprehensions as to how he would come out, but because he found in its students and faculty helpfulness, and respect for him as a man and a student, he gets his diploma, and more. He is not only proud of his degree, he is grateful that his home State has given him the full opportunity to earn it. He stands a bit straighter than he did. his wife and three children do too. Mankind moved up a notch or two tonight. How can we measure such a moment? So the stories go, private and intimate for each of you. Has it occurred to you to think on what manner of Nation, what kind of people, what kind of university make this moment mean what it does? There are parents ther with pride in their hearts, gratitude (and even relief!) - 3 -
Metadata URL:: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/ref/collection/Civilrights/id/1820
IIIF manifest:: https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/iiif/2/Civilrights:1820/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: