Reading Public Schools Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Only 61 years ago, children of color and white children were not allowed to sit inside a classroom together.

The Brown Vs. Board of Education case put an end to racially segregated public schools in 1954, but it was the work of advocates like Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. that pushed the country to give children equal rights to education.

Reading Public Schools will honor activists of the 1960s civil rights movement at their Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Monday, Jan. 19. The free event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with a light breakfast at the Reading Memorial High School Performing Arts Center.

Following breakfast, local artist and speed painter Rob Surette will paint portraits of historic role models, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Leonard Zakim.

Surette is a character artist who paints portraits of celebrities, historical figures and fictional characters in 1 to 5 minutes. He has previously performed on The Today Show, Oprah and for The White House.

Surette will also give a speech about the civil rights movement and “inspire the audience to ‘Be Somebody’ and ‘Stand Together for Justice,’” according to Reading Public Schools.

Watch Surette’s performance on Oprah below:

image via Wikimedia

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