ST PAUL, Minn. — It's 2013 and homecoming time at Hopkins High School, but something during spirit week isn't sitting well with some students.
"It was themed 'Ghetto Spirit Day,'" said Ralph Crowder II, independent journalist and multimedia producer.
At the time, as a father of two, Crowder was already covering education issues across various districts. So when two Black students spoke out against the theme, and the way some of their schoolmates embraced the stereotypes, Crowder followed along.
Hopkins administration suspended the two Black students, prompting more than 100 students to participate in a walkout.
"Catching the students right as they were leaving the school," Crowder recalled. "Really, the conscious decision to affirm the students at that time."
"Any child or any student that is fearless to really put their voices out there publicly, especially for the betterment of their own education purposes, I mean that's an honorable thing to do."
Crowder ultimately decided to create a documentary from the footage called "Before BLM, The Kids Marched for Education." This Saturday, he's presenting an exclusive screening of it and a discussion afterward on Saturday, Dec. 30, from 2-4 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center. Tickets cost $7.
"We only screened this publicly, maybe about two or three times," Crowder said. "Sometimes the issues of the times you live in aren't necessarily ready for the art you might produce."
The walkout occurred a year after Treyvon Martin was killed. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the walkout, and the 60th anniversary of the Children's March in Birmingham, Alabama.
"The time has caught up to those kids and what they did 10 years ago where they can be honored appropriately for the history they did make."
Crowder says he showed the documentary to the current Hopkins High School administration, and says they were very supportive. KARE 11 reached out to the district for a statement and will add it to this article once received.
"Before BLM, The Kids Marched for Education" is part of a five-month documentary and discussion series at the Minnesota History Center presented by Frances E. Thompson Digital Library for Family Research & Cynthcarm Communications.
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