founder’s day observance The conversation turned to the education of the nation’s black boys as some of the nation’s top education experts met during the 2nd Annual Black Male Summit. Moderated by Bryant Marks ’94, director of the Morehouse Male Institute, and English professor Stephane Dunn, the summit featured a panel of academicians and another of practitioners. “What’s happening is all over this world, young people are getting up and they are running faster than our best young people,” said panelist Howard Fuller of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University. “If they are running faster than our best young people, what chance do our kids have in Atlanta who can’t read, can’t write, can’t think, can’t analyze, can’t compute?” David Jernigan, executive director of KIPP Atlanta, added, “It’s about building a culture of high expectations.” That evening, music took center stage as R&B superstar Musiq Soulchild and guest Avery Sunshine thrilled a near-capacity audience during the Founder’s Day Concert.
The next morning, the 2012 Bennie and Candle awardees spoke about their careers during Reflections of Excellence. Those honorees were Herman Bostick ’49, Bennie Leadership; Earl Hilliard ’64, Bennie Service; Dr. Calvin McLaurin ’68, Bennie Achievement; Earl Stafford, Candle in Humanitarian Service and Business; and President Robert Franklin ’75, Candle in Education. “Sometimes there are people who are going to want to discourage you from doing things,” said McLaurin. “You need to make up your mind about what you want to do, decide which way you want to do things and stick to that.” The College community and supporters were out in their finest for the elegant “A Candle in the Dark” Gala. A sold-out audience watched as the Bennie and Candle honorees were presented their awards and later filled the floor as they danced the night away. The week ended with the annual Founder’s Day Worship Service, where the Rev. Amos Brown ’64 of First Baptist Church of San Francisco delivered the sermon and the Morehouse College Glee Club’s Founder’s Day Concert. n
Left: Shaun Harper, associate professor, University of Pennsylvania (left), and David Wall Rice ’95, associate professor, Morehouse College, at the fourth Annual Black Male Summit. Bottom: Moderators, college administrators and panel members after the fourth Annual Black Male Summit
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