Posted on Friday, January 20, 2023
Creating change starts with one person just as a fire starts with a single match. Racial Trust Building Inc. Executive Director Chalton Askew ’88, who was the guest speaker at the college’s Martin Luther King Jr. 2023 “Becoming the Beloved Community” event on Tuesday, explained how Dr. King’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail” inspired generations of people to stand up for a cause.
“Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the great models we can look at to see the power of one person setting in motion action that benefits entire cities and the nation,” he said.
Before the Birmingham jail letter was written in April 1963, Askew said the civil rights leader and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference teamed up with Birmingham’s local movement, the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Their plan was to take part in a direct action campaign, also known as “Project C.”
“‘Project C’ is what the organizers of the campaign called it because they knew that their telephone conversations were being tapped, so they used code names,” he said. “The letter ‘C’ stood for confrontation.”
Askew said the purpose of the project was to attack Birmingham’s segregation system by applying pressure on the city’s merchants during the Easter season, the second biggest shopping season of the year. He said hundreds of volunteers who participated in lunch counter sit-ins and marches on city hall were arrested.
While marching with fellow protestors, Dr. King was arrested in Birmingham on Good Friday, April 12. During his time in jail, the civil rights leader wrote a letter in response to a statement eight Birmingham clergyman made condemning the protests.
“It was published in media outlets,” Askew said. “It was an appeal to the American conscience. You will see some similarities to what is going on today.”
He said it is important to learn from the past.
“These events shaped our world and got us to where we are today,” Askew said. If we want to make the world a better place, we need to look back and see where we missed the mark and learn from our mistakes. Where historical harm occurred is often the place where the most healing can occur.”
He said he disagreed with Dr. Bernice King, one of MLK’s children, when she described her father’s letter as timeless.
“I would love to see the conditions that precipitated the need for Dr. King to write the ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ no longer exist,” he said. I would love to see our communities working together in racial harmony to the benefit of everyone and the detriment of no one. We must decide to see value in others and extend them the freedom to live it out.”
Askew, who has been involved with Racial Trust Building Inc. since its founding in Troup County in 2015, explained why the organization’s mission is important to him.
“I believe that together we can remove barriers that prevent full access to opportunity for all citizens equally,” he said. We can leave the world a better place than we found it if we act now. We still have issues to solve.”
Askew, who is a Troup County native, said his experiences at LaGrange College helped him face the adult world with a realistic lens and expectation.
“My time at LC prepared me for a life of self-sufficiency and empowerment,” he said. “That confidence put me in circles I would not have been without the proper preparation.”
To be able to afford college, he said he would work nights and attend classes during the day.
“It was hard, but my why was greater than my how,” Askew said. “I would not pass up the dream of attending college, and having one locally was a blessing.”
After graduating from LC, he spent 30 years working in accounting and finance roles at Interface in LaGrange. His wife, Connie ’96, who also attended LaGrange College, is a retired educator with Troup County Schools.
He explained what he hopes for future generations.
“To live out their God-given purpose without restriction or limitations,” Askew said.
Askew said everyone is invited to participate in the nonprofit’s workshops, dialogues and discussions. More information can be found on its website and Facebook page.
Monday, January 23, at 10 a.m., in Callaway Auditorium. This season will focus on the Tuscany region of Central Italy. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call 706-880-8244 or email 3DJourneys@kongtiao11.com.
Check LC Connect for Virtual CE events and instructions
Music of a Movement
Monday, Jan. 23
7:30 p.m., Corn Auditorium, Lewis Library
Graduate Fair
Tuesday, Jan. 24
11 a.m., Dickson Assembly Room, Turner Hall
Yoga on the Hill
Thursday, Jan. 26
11:30 a.m., Jones Zone, Turner Hall
Why I chose LaGrange College — Isaiah Richardson
Pre-engineering major Isaiah Richardson ’26 has set his sights high. He wants to serve as advisor on water conservation to the indigenous people of South Africa whose culture is rapidly disappearing.
Men’s Basketball
In the team’s Saturday contest for first place in the conference, LC (12-6, 4-1 CCS) fell in a tight game against Belhaven 88-78. Senior guard Bershard Edwards contributed 20 points to the effort. On Tuesday, the Panthers downed Covenant 74-61. Edwards (22 points) and senior forward Zac Hill (21 points) led the scoring.
Women’s Basketball
On Saturday, a massive first-half run carried the Panthers (11-4, 5-1 CCS) to a 79-63 win over Belhaven. Freshman guard Laila Battle led the way with 24 points. On Tuesday, LC demolished Covenant 75-50. Sophomore guard Zyhia Johnson powered the Panthers with 16 points.
(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)
Sunday, Jan. 22 – Women’s Basketball at Wesleyan, 2 p.m., Macon, Georgia
Wednesday, Jan. 25 – Women’s Basketball at Piedmont, 5 p.m., Demorest, Georgia
Wednesday, Jan. 25 – Men’s Basketball at Piedmont, 7 p.m., Demorest, Georgia
Category: Students, Academics, Arts and Culture
Keywords: History, Nonprofit
