27-02-2025
Students celebrate black history with historic figures of Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As we prepare to close out Black History Month, schools are taking the time to teach their students not just about their past but their present, as well.
The rising generation at LaRose Elementary School took a trip back in time Thursday morning. For their Black History Month program, students learned about key points during the civil rights movement while in the presence of history in the making.
Representing the city's past, present, and future, former Mayor Dr. Willie Herenton, current Mayor Paul Young, and Interim MSCS Superintendent Roderick Richmond spoke words of encouragement and promise to the young audience.
► BLACK HISTORY MONTH
'My goal and my purpose is to make sure that all of you young people have a brighter future as a result of that all of grownups are going to do together,' Young said.
For Herenton, walking these hallways has a special place in his heart since he was a student and eventually a principal at the school.
'To come back here and to help these young people to celebrate black history, this is a remarkable day for me,' Herenton said. 'It brings back a lot of great memories.'
As Memphis' first elected black mayor and the first black superintendent of Memphis City schools, Herenton's impact on politics is deeply rooted in Memphis' history.
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'Mayor Young and myself would not be here without Dr. Willie Herenton,' Richmond said.
'Being a former educator for 30 years and being the mayor for 18 years, we've been able to touch the lives of many young people that are in leadership positions,' Herenton said.
Even though Herenton says he is retired, current Mayor Young and Interim Superintendent Richmond say they are carrying the torch to lead the city towards a brighter tomorrow.
'A leader is never divisive. A leader should always be someone who's bringing people together,' Richmond said.
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