Thursday, February 26, 2015

The Children's March




Movie poster for The Mighty Times: The Children's March.


By Sharon Rose
      "The Academy Award for best short-form documentary goes to, Mighty Times: The Children’s March," so said the celebrity announcer at the 2005 Academy Awards, in Los Angeles, CA.  Producer, Robert Hudson and director, Bobby Houston rose to their feet and ascended to the elaborate stage to accept the gold Oscar statue.  They had so, expertly, re-told on film, released in 2004, the story of the youngest heroes of the 1963, Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, AL, that they were being awarded the highest award in Hollywood that a filmmaker could receive.  It was the story of an event that lasted almost ten days and is now historically know as, The Children’s March. 
One day in May, 1963, The Children's March.
       To commemorate Black History Month, I want to spotlight the unlikely heroes of the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, Alabama, the children.  In May, 1963, the children of Birmingham emerged as heroes.  Many may wonder how children could have done something no other had been able to do.  It was their sheer large numbers, courage, and practice of non-violence, taught by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  It was a relentless determination to claim their dream of freedom, that made the difference.  Some of the adults, who participated in the marches, picketing the front of downtown department stores to enforce a boycott of the businesses, lost their jobs and were harassed by white employers.  When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the leader of the movement, called for more and more demonstrations, many adults voiced the reality they faced, the threat of losing their jobs.  The children begged their parents to be allowed to take their futures in their own hands, and so they marched, despite the fears of many parents.  They boycotted their poorly equipped, segregated schools, took picket signs in hand, and marched in the streets during the sweltering heat of that, long ago, month of May.  

      The children, some as young as 7 and 8 years old, gathered for almost ten days at 16th Street Baptist Church to organize with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders.  They marched from the church, through Kelly Ingram Park, a city park across the street from the church. The park became the focal point of the marches, destined to become a historical site.  The children marched through the streets of downtown Birmingham, lifting their voices to sing songs, such as, Ain't  Gonna' Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round.  Their processions were always stopped by the Birmingham police, led by the, ever-present, Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety, infamously, known as "Bull" Conner.  The film, The Children's March, has documented the harsh treatment that ensued.  With heroic courage, the children faced fire hoses and police dogs, day after day.  As many as 8,000 children were arrested and jailed, transported by school buses, before the freedom crusade was over.  In the end, with the world wide attention and damaging effects to the economic landscape of Birmingham, AL, they broke the back of segregation in Birmingham and greatly influenced its end throughout the entire South, and the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

      Today, Kelly Ingram Park offers a self-guided, audio walking tour that retraces, The Children's March.  The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which opened in November, 1992, faces the park and includes The Children's March, among the many civil rights historical stories and events, re-told through film, first-person audio testimonials, authentic artifacts, exhibits, photography, and art. 

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Kelly Ingram Park, self-guided walking tour.
Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, AL

 Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, AL

Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, AL

16th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL


      Do you know of other examples in history where children have shown this kind of courage and heroism?  Talk to your children about this event in American History; compare it to other similar events.  Have them to understand that their future lies in their hands, although it may not be such a tremendous task that history dealt to the children of The Children’s March.  Their duties are to do their best in school, do their chores, or work a part-time job, but it is up to them to succeed at it, with your support. 

The following poem is dedicated to the children of, The Children’s March.  

Sing Out for Freedom
  


By Sharon Rose 

Lift your voice with a mighty praise,
To our Lord who lives on high.
Pray with voice and words of grace,
Sing out for freedom!

Sing and chant as your body sways,
Clap your hands; reach for courage.
Born with a hunger to be free,
Sing out for freedom!

Lift your feet to a marching beat,
No fears for a child of God.
All the way to the Birmingham jail,
Sing out for freedom!


Video Selection:  Mighty Times: The Children’s March, 2004, https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/film-kits/mighty-times-the-childrens-march

Teacher's and Parent's Guide:



Copyright, The Children's March, Sharon Rose, Parents Want to Know 101, February 26, 2015, revised version.   All rights reserved.

Copyright, Sing Out for Freedom, poem, Author, Sharon Rose, August 2011.  All rights reserved. Cannot be published without permission of the author, under penalty of law.  Cannot be used in theatrical or any spoken word stage production without permission and credit to the author, under penalty of law.  Contact: srgjones@gmail.com.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Cold-Blooded Killer: Hypothermia

By Sharon Rose


Are you dressed, properly, for the winter weather?  Pay attention to
how your body feels when shoveling snow.
     
    Winter, 2015, is turning into a brutally cold season in many areas.  Parents need to know about the COLD-BLOODED KILLER: HYPOTHERMIA.  Some may have never heard of hypothermia, much less know how to get a handle on it. Here are the bone-chilling facts about this cold-blooded killer.  

What is Hypothermia?

      A body temperature below 96 degrees Fahrenheit is called hypothermia, and it doesn't take arctic temperatures to put you at risk. Even a moderately chilly air temperature of 60 degrees is low enough to trigger hypothermia if you aren't properly clothed.

      The National Institute of Aging estimates that of the 28,000 people hypothermia kills every year, the largest percentage are older people. Some medicines, problems with circulation, and certain illnesses appear to reduce the older person's ability to resist hypothermia.  Also, the older you get, the less sensitive you are to cold weather.  So, your body temperature could drop to a dangerously low level without you really being aware of it. In addition, older people don't seem to shiver very effectively, which is one of the ways the body warms itself up.  However, there is no doubt that hypothermia is a danger regardless of a person's age; and, yes, even children.


A warm drink will lift your spirits!

*Remember these tips to help prevent hypothermia:

1.  Dress in layers

2.  Always wrap up well when going outside in the cold.

3.  Set your thermostat to at least a toasty 70 degrees during cold weather.  

4.  Avoid extensive exposure to breezes and drafts.

5.  Keep plenty of nutritious food and warm clothes and blankets on hand to help ward off the winter chill. 

6.  It would be wise to wear a warm hat during cold, winter months. 

7.  Eat hot foods and drink warm drinks several times during the day.

8.  Ask a family member or neighbor to check on you often.

9.  Ask your doctor if any medicine you're taking increases your risk of hypothermia. Some drugs make it difficult for your body to stay warm.  *Drugs that may cause a problem include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, chlorpromazine, reserpine, and tricyclic antidepressants.

10.  When shoveling snow, dress warm and in layers, take frequent breaks, and pay attention to how your body feels.  Do not eat a heavy meal nor alcohol before or after shoveling snow. The elderly or those with health disparities should avoid shoveling snow all together.





How to Help Someone Suffering From Hypothermia:

To help someone you suspect may be suffering from hypothermia, first call an ambulance. Then lie close to the person and cover both of you with thick blankets. The hotter you get, the more warmth you can give the other person. Don't rub the person or handle him or her roughly. That can make things worse.  

How to Help Yourself If You Suspect Hypothermia:

If your temperature is 96 degrees or less, or you feel sluggish or recognize that you're having trouble thinking clearly, call an ambulance and go to the nearest emergency room.  It's better to be overly cautious than to die of a disorder that doesn't have to be deadly.

      Practice protecting yourself and your family from extreme cold winter temperatures!


Keep the kids warm by dressing them in layers.

Take frequent rest breaks when shoveling snow.



*Research Source: Accidental hypothermia: a winter hazard for older people, National Institute on Aging, 1995, Geriatrics(51, 2:23). 

*Resource Source: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Random House, New York, 2000.




Copyright, Parents Want to Know 101, Cold-Blooded Killer: Hypothermia, Sharon Rose, February 20, 2015. All rights reserved.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Valentine's Day: Puppy Love and Beyond

By Sharon Rose


Puppy love.....

      Valentine's Day is a day for love.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if the feeling and expressions of love that we demonstrate on Valentine's Day were felt every day of the year?!  Love is a strong, emotional outpouring and demonstration of affection and kindness; peaceful interaction in a relationship; caring, protecting and providing for in a family; and often an exciting, giddy, passionate and romantic feeling between a man and a woman.  All in all, LOVE is a beautiful thing!

      The first time I was in love my Dad gave me a plump little brown puppy for my 3rd birthday.  I can still remember that giddy, stomach- flipping- over feeling that I felt when I was given that puppy, who I named, Brownie.  A plain and simple name given by a very young child.  I loved nothing better than to play with Brownie all day long.  He belonged to me and I loved him!  He followed me all over the house, licked me right in the face, and showed me so much love and attention.  Although he chewed many pairs of my shoes, I forgave him and my unconditional love continued.  Loving that puppy was such a good feeling!  As a result, for the rest of my life I have had a dog or some kind of pet in my home.  I believe I always wanted to keep that good feeling that I first felt at three years old.  The next time I was in love was with a boy in my 5th grade class.  I remember him sending me the do you love me notes on which you were to check a yes or no box.  Remember those?!  I checked yes and happily returned the note to him! 


Puppy Love.....

By 6th grade we had each moved on; had other friends and other interests.  I remember that the school basketball team took up most of his time.  However, one week before I married, and although it had been many years since we had seen one another, he came to visit me to declare that he still loved me from all those years ago.  He explained that he was not there to interrupt anything, but just to take his last opportunity to say, I love you.  He wished me the best in my marriage and was on his way.

      When I think of those emotional, past experiences of love I feel good inside and smile.  Love should make you feel that way and never the reverse.   Since my early childhood days I have had even greater feelings of love: the unconditional love I felt leap into my heart when I gave birth to each of my three children; the enduring, grateful love I feel for my parents; the happy, giddy feeling of gift-giving when I gave my own children a puppy one Christmas, and heard their squeals and saw their beaming faces; as well as, when I said I do as a woman in love.  I have learned that giving love is the best feeling of all!  Is there anyone that you would like to take the opportunity to say, at last, I love you, much like my 5th grade friend?  Tell that special someone, family or friends, those three special words, I Love You.  It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air!!
 
.....and beyond!!
 


Copyright, Valentine's Day: Puppy Love and Beyond, Parents Want to Know 101, February 14, 2015, Sharon Rose, all rights reserved.