On November 30, 2015, Stamford High School held an assembly with prominent locals to speak on behalf of the 51^st anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at SHS.

After introducing other guest speakers, James Moriarty, a history teacher at SHS, told the students and faculty about King’s 1964 visit. This visit happened just weeks after King was selected for the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and the Time Magazine “Man of the Year.”

While most guest speakers at the assembly work for the Stamford Public Schools system, President of the Stamford NAACP Jack Bryant was an exception.  Bryant made his opening remarks on how MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech conveyed freedom, justice, brotherhood and simple civil rights.

After Bryant’s reading of MLK’s famous speech, Stamford’s own Junior Asantewaa Gordon gave her thrilling version of a dream poem titled, “Do You Remember.” Gordon included pop references, giving the student audience members a way to relate to everything that Gordon had to tell. Seniors and juniors from Moriarty’s history class also shared a slide show of MLK’s achievements, including his visit to SHS.

At the end of the ceremony, SPS Superintendent Winifred Hamilton, former SHS Principal Tony Pavia, Principal Raymond Manka, Mayor David Martin and Bryant were given the opportunity to introduce the new dedicated MLK plaque to the students and faculty of SHS.

This ceremony also featured performances by the Madrigals singers and Jazz Ensemble.

The ceremony overall was a great success and our new plaque will be admired and appreciated by all of SHS students and faculty!