HURRAY FOR HOLLIS!
"A wonderful evening."

“You are great warriors, and the fight is far from over.”

(Hollis Watkins speaking to Southside students).

Mississippi Freedom Fighter, Hollis Watkins, joined Southside students, friends and families on Thursday, January 14th.  

Southside students experience Mississippi Civil Rights history  every three years with  Hollis Watkins, when they travel south for twelve days.  We were lucky to have him warm our hearts with stories and song during our coldest Minnesota month.  

Middle school students presented the slideshow from the 2008 Civil Rights trip.  These students have wowed college classes with their knowledge and understanding of history.  This was a rare chance to see the slideshow here at the school.  

MORE ABOUT HOLLIS WATKINS

Hollis Watkins began his work in the 1960’s as a teenager working with the organization Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to register black voters. One of his first direct actions was a sit-in at the Woolworth's lunch counter in McComb, Mississippi for which he was arrested and jailed over a month. This was just the beginning. Mr. Hollis continued his fight, working with various organizations on voting rights, sustainable agriculture, political participation and representation and environmental racism including SNCC, the NAACP and many more.  He was a protégé of Vernon Dahmer of the NAACP (who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan in 1966 after organizing voting drives in Southern Mississippi. Imperial Wizard Samuel Bowers was convicted of the crime 32 years later).

Mr. Watkins is currently president of Southern Echo, a leadership development and education organization, that provides training and technical assistance to individuals and organizations throughout the South in the areas of politics, education, environmental programs, economic development, and law.

Thank you to Hollis, to the slideshow students and to all who attended to make this a wonderful event.