Author Encourages Students To Look Beyond Race And Work Together

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – An author and community leader encouraged high school students to put aside differences and look at what unites them, and work together for everyone’s benefit. It was part of the annual Black History Month Celebration at Tupelo High School.

Students and teachers were inspired by music and the message.

CREATE Foundation Executive Juanita Floyd recalled the integration of Union County schools which serves as the background for her new book  “The Summer of 1969.”

“My story is I made it because I had a mother who said, you have got to love, you can’t hate, even if some of those kids call you names and vicious names, you can’t hate, you must love, so my story turned out differently than some of the others who went through integration,” Floyd said.

Floyd recounted how she graduated from high school, college and went on to become a success, with hard work, determination and the help of many people. She told the students it’s important for them to realize they are not limited by circumstances outside of their control.

“It doesn’t matter your color, race, creed,it doesn’t matter your socio-economic status, whether you’re rich or poor, I fell into all of those categories, I was black, woman, I was poor growing up, I grew up in a single parent household ,  because my father died when I was young, so what I hope they understood is that you can make it, there are no excuses not to make it,” she said.

Students and adults say Floyd’s story shows the importance of treating others right and putting differences aside.

“In her speech she said we all should love each other, so I think we should all love each other,” said THS Senior Jacob Hopkins.

“You have to strive for success, keep going and everybody kind of helps you get there but you’re the main person who will do that for yourself,” said THS Senior Sawyer Tucker.

“If you’re looking for good people, looking for advocates for anything you’re trying to do, if you look hard enough, you can still find them,” said Dr. Richard Price, Chairman of the Mayor’s Outreach Task Force.

Floyd’s book has been placed in schools throughout Northeast Mississippi.

The theme of the Black History Celebration was “Finding Strength through Humanity. ”