University of Arkansas Commencement Address, 1958

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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
in the fact of graduation. This is a moment for them too, not to be taken for granted by the son or daughter in his or her flush of glory. "Yar I is, Lawd"; "Yar I is. I ain't much, but I am the best I got." Here you are and each of you right now is the best you've got. How good is it? Let's assume for comment (and for honesty's sake) that it isn't in every case as good as it might have been. But for sure it is better than it would have been except for all the help you've had along the way. Many people and events and institutions of society have helped make what you are at this moment and therefore to provide the scope and meaningfulness for tomorrow. Among then stands the University of Arkansas. Without the intention of being boastful or appearing to be blind to whatever faults we have, may I say in a paragraph what I hope the University has helped you add to yourself, to become the best that you are at this moment of time. We hope that your understanding of yourself is greater. We hope that your personal competence, your ability to think and to perform has been increased. We hope that your feeling for your fellowman is more generous, less selfish and less subject to prejudice and to artificial standards of worth. We hope that you have gained some understanding of and sense of duty toward the human communities of which you are a necessary part. We hope you have a more refined sense of beauty and happiness. We hope that your faith in Divine goodness and mercy is somehow stronger. We hope that you are more just in your thinking and dealings than you were before you came to us, that you reflect in your lives more of the universal jus- tice all men are seeking. To state these hopes is to indicate the breadth of concern and high mission - 4 -
Metadata URL:: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/ref/collection/Civilrights/id/1821
IIIF manifest:: https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/iiif/2/Civilrights:1821/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
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