BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy

“There Comes a Time When Silence is Betrayal”~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as quoted in a speech by Congressman John Conyers Jr.By Peggy Comeau and Marcia EldredgeAlthough Trey Whitfield and U.S. CongressmanJohn Conyers Jr. never met, they shared thecommon dream of equal access to opportunities forall, regardless of race.Marcia EldredgeThere was standing room only at the Trey WhitfieldMemorial Lecture on January 17 when the Brewstercommunity welcomed Conyers as its guest speakerat this annual tribute to former Brewster studentTrey Whitfield and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Whitfield was a member of the class of 1989 whobelieved that everyone, regardless of race or ethnicbackground, should have equal access to theeducational opportunities needed to reach theirpotential in life.Marcia EldredgeCongressman Conyers spoke of the non-violentphilosophies of the civil rights leaders he admired,including Nelson Mandela, who fought so longagainst apartheid in South Africa; Dr. King, whobegan his pivotal role in the U.S. civil rightsmovement by initiating the boycott of the city-ownedbus company that had Rosa Parks arrested whenshe refused to give up her seat to a white passenger;and Rosa Parks herself, whose single act of defiancebegan the movement that ended legal segregation inAmerica.“In deciding not to comply with a segregationist lawand taking a seat at the front of the bus she becamea model of non-violent civil rights protest for thiscountry and for the world,” Conyers said. “ThisU.S. Congressman Conyers spoke with students after the lecture.cleaning woman who sat where she did on the bussimply because she was tired [of not being able to sitwhere she wanted] became the first woman to lie instate in the Capitol Rotunda.”Parks, along with King, supported Conyers’ firstcampaign for Congress, and Parks later became amember of Conyers’ congressional staff.Conyers is the second most senior memberin the U.S. House of Representatives,having entered the House in 1964, and isthe longest-serving African-American inthe history of the House. He is dedicatedto improving the lives of the people ofMichigan’s 14th Congressional District,which includes parts of Detroit andsurrounding areas.Brooklyn’s Trey Whitfield School Choir led by Donna White performeda number of spirited pieces for an appreciative audience.During his 41 years in Congress, socialjustice and economic opportunity haveremained focal points of Conyers’ work.Three days after the assassination of Dr.King, he introduced the King holiday billbut “it took 15 years for the measure topass,” Conyers told students.BrewsterConnections • WINTER/SPRING 20065