Dean Smith died over the weekend. Sure he was an amazing college basketball coach at North Carolina. He has oodles of records and is regarded by Michael Jordan as one of the most influential people he has ever met.
Yet Smith's accomplishments go well beyond the hardwood. There is one act of his that truly defines what a great man he was.
It was 1964. Smith was seated in a restaurant with a fellow coach and a young black man. The owner of the establishment came up to the table and told the black man that he would have to leave.
It was North Carolina after all in the height of the civil rights movement.
Dean Smith looked at the owner of the restaurant and simply said, "No he doesn't."
It was North Carolina after all in the height of the college basketball season.
This was Dean Smith. Head coach of the revered Tar Heels of North Carolina.
The owner walked away. The three men were served. A couple months later, the restaurant was desegregated.
Our essential question: Does one man have the power to make a difference in the fight against prejudice?
Based on Dean Smith...I'd have to say, "Yes."
Honors: We previewed some ISTEP questions. Then we analyzed the following quote from Theodore Parker: The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. Good discussion followed with references to civil rights, women's rights, gay rights and the death penalty.
Homework for tonight is to read Warriors up to page 173.
Standard: We took a quick quiz over our Warriors reading and then wrote about and analyzed four key things Melba said in the text. Period three did another fine job discussing the material.
Homework for tonight is to read chapter 14 pages 157-173.
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