Well done to students from Teesdale School and across the North East Learning Trust for their successful Freedom City 2017 evening of music and art celebrating 50 years since Newcastle University awarded an honorary degree to Dr Martin Luther King.
On 13 November 1967, Newcastle University awarded Dr King the degree, the only UK university to do so in his lifetime. On accepting this award, Dr King made what was to be his final public speech outside of the US before his assassination in April 1968.
Freedom City 2017 brings together international artists, musicians, filmmakers, academics and community groups to inspire a new generation to contribute towards tackling the issues that Dr King spoke of in his acceptance speech.
The event, at Elvet Methodist Church in Durham, saw a keynote address by Dr Ben Houston, Senior Lecturer in Modern US History at Newcastle University, on the importance of King in 2017.
The address was followed by music by students from across the North East Learning Trust including Easington Academy and Shotton Hall Academy's chamber choirs with an original composition by Teesdale student, Jake Knight.
The event also saw the premiere of 'Memories of Dr King', a film featuring the grandmother of one of our Year 12 students, Nina Holguin who met King in 1967 on his visit to the region.
There was also an art exhibition inspired by King and his message, which featured some incredible works of art by students.
The event coincided with the publication of a special edition of their termly journal, Past to Present, which focuses on what there is to learn fifty years after King’s visit to the region and features Professor Brian Ward of Northumbria University.