Marching Forward: Reflecting on the 1964 March on Frankfort's Legacy and the Future of Social Justice in Education
Feb 23, 2024
Superintendent Mark Kopp
Step into a powerful retelling of history as we unite with Katima Smith-Willis, Kristy Powe, and Larry Murphy to illuminate the profound lessons of the 1964 March on Frankfort. Our discussion promises to bridge generations, revealing how the march not only shaped local history but continues to inspire current and future activists. Together, we dissect the event's monumental influence on the struggle for equality, celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson while spotlighting the role Franklin County Schools play in keeping the spirit of unity alive. As we gear up for the upcoming re-creation of the march, slated for March 5th, 2024, we uncover the intricate planning involved in bringing diverse communities together to honor this beacon of progress in race relations.
Amidst the echoes of the past, we pivot to the present-day significance of youth engagement in social justice, emphasizing the crucial part they play in shaping a just future. Our conversation with our esteemed guests underscores the importance of fostering dialogue—beyond political lines—to cultivate a society that champions equality for all. And as we wind down, we don't miss the chance to connect on a more personal level, exchanging our favorite movie picks that allow for a moment of levity amidst our profound discourse. This episode is an invitation to witness the tapestry of change that is woven when education, community, and history converge.
Step into a powerful retelling of history as we unite with Katima Smith-Willis, Kristy Powe, and Larry Murphy to illuminate the profound lessons of the 1964 March on Frankfort. Our discussion promises to bridge generations, revealing how the march not only shaped local history but continues to inspire current and future activists. Together, we dissect the event's monumental influence on the struggle for equality, celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson while spotlighting the role Franklin County Schools play in keeping the spirit of unity alive. As we gear up for the upcoming re-creation of the march, slated for March 5th, 2024, we uncover the intricate planning involved in bringing diverse communities together to honor this beacon of progress in race relations.
Amidst the echoes of the past, we pivot to the present-day significance of youth engagement in social justice, emphasizing the crucial part they play in shaping a just future. Our conversation with our esteemed guests underscores the importance of fostering dialogue—beyond political lines—to cultivate a society that champions equality for all. And as we wind down, we don't miss the chance to connect on a more personal level, exchanging our favorite movie picks that allow for a moment of levity amidst our profound discourse. This episode is an invitation to witness the tapestry of change that is woven when education, community, and history converge.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to FCS Unscripted. A new podcast for one team, fcs, where we look at the stories behind every one in Franklin County schools. Welcome to FCS Unscripted. This is Superintendent Mark Kopp. I am so thrilled to be with you today. We have a really special podcast today. We are getting ready to have an epic event in our community and that is the recreation of the original March on Frankfurt on March 5th 1964. An amazing event took place in our history, in our local history. We had some really significant people that took part in this event, including Dr Martin Luther King, jackie Robinson and others that we'll talk about during the podcast today. I am so thrilled to be joined with three guests today. First of all, we have Katima Smith-Willis, who is with us. Hey, everybody, thank you for joining us. We have Kristi Poe with us.
Speaker 2:
Hello.
Speaker 1:
And we have Larry Murphy, our Director of Human Resources.
Speaker 3:
Hello everyone.
Speaker 1:
Larry Murphy, for the district is our. He coordinates our diversity, equity and inclusion and all of the associated programs that we are working on as a district. Kristi is Really. She represents the focus on race relations Correct, and we're going to start by talking to Katima, though. So, katima, you want to talk about why you're here and why you're excited about what's getting ready to take place?
Speaker 4:
Yeah Well, I mean, I'm super excited because I hail from the county school district, so it's really nice to be able to give back to my home and where I grew up, especially Franklin County High School. Shout out to the Flyers.
Speaker 3:
So, yeah, cacaw, cacaw.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, I'm super excited. I'm here because, I mean, I'm 27. 1964 wasn't too long ago. My mom was born four years after the march on Frankfurt and I have some really amazing people in my family that attended the march on Frankfurt in 1964. But I'm here because I really like to make sure that I reach out to the students and make sure that they understand how big of an impact this march was and how huge of an impact it will be to have them a part of this monumental day. I have a two-year-old son and I'm excited for him to attend school in the future, hopefully in the county school district, but for him to be a part of this day too. I think it'll be really cool and full circle for my life and my purpose being a part of this march, but then also just the significance behind the historical pivotal moment that this had. So I'm really excited to be here and to be able to talk about this.
Speaker 1:
Well, we are thrilled to have you here and to be part of this and we're really excited as a school district to get to collaborate and be part of this and we're going to talk about some of the school district initiatives and some of the things that we're going to be doing as part of the march. I want to bring in Christie Poe at this time also. I've gotten to know Christie over the years and Christie your father, ed Poe was really a special human being and special to me, special to this community, and you are really picking up the baton from him and are so proud of the work that you're doing. So kind of talk to us first about yourself, about the focus on race relations and then also the march on Frankfurt.
Speaker 2:
No problem at all. Well, I am currently the president of Focus on Race Relations. I'm also a Franklin County flyer, class of 1990.
Speaker 1:
Hello, Good call yes.
Speaker 2:
That's new too. I don't we didn't pick up, right it's going to know what that is?
Speaker 1:
It's just go flyers, right.
Speaker 2:
Go flyers, flyers, actually. So it's just really exciting to be back here talking about this with you all wearing my Franklin County school shirt. I love it, but focus on race relations. So what we do? We are simply a group of concerned community citizens a very diverse group, and we've all decided that it's very important to have open and honest, face-to-face conversations about race and race-related issues here in Frankfurt and Franklin County. That's all we strive to do. We make sure that we engage people in those conversations and we understand that Frankfurt and Franklin County is ready for those conversations. One of the things that we've always found is there is safety and silence, and most of the time people are so quiet they're scared to say something. They feel like they may say the wrong thing or they may offend you or is this racist?
Speaker 2:
Is this not racist? No bad questions. As long as that conversation is opened, we can all find some common ground. So that's one of the reasons I'm so excited about this march, because this is community coming together and excited about it. We're all excited to be a part of this. It saddened me. I did get a call from a Native American group of Indigenous people out of Indy I think it was Indianapolis and they had been told that they weren't welcome, that this was only a march for blacks and whites, and I said not at all.
Speaker 2:
The whole purpose of this was equality, this was freedom, this was unity for everyone, for all people. So it's going to be an exciting group. We've got people from all backgrounds, all ages, all races and religions, and we're just going to just march together, listen to each other and get caught up in where we are now, while we also look back to where we were.
Speaker 1:
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 4:
There is no community without unity.
Speaker 1:
I love that.
Speaker 4:
My husband, jordan, taught me that.
Speaker 1:
So I love it.
Speaker 4:
I think about it all the time, because when we have conversations like this, it's not just about black or white, people of color, indigenous. It's about us all collectively coming together as almost some sort of cohort to move forward with change and progress.
Speaker 1:
So I love that. And so let's kind of talk about some of the logistics behind the day. It's going to be on Tuesday, march the 5th 2024. The march itself will begin at 1045, I believe, and that is we're all. Everyone's going to assemble, I think, by the Capital City Museum, if I'm not mistaken, right there, and the march begins there, and then we're going to cross over the bridge and march to the capital from there.
Speaker 2:
Now there's also a reception, just to add. So the city of Frankfurt is hosting a reception from 9 to 11 at the Capital City Museum, so there will be light refreshments. We've also got an impersonator, someone that does King impersonations of his speeches through the past. He'll be at the museum as well. So there'll be things to do. There's a poster station that's set up for anyone that wants to make their poster, so there are things to do in the museum starting at 9.
Speaker 1:
Great, great From our perspective as a school district. Just so you all know, Franklin County School is supporting this. We've got kids who've been making posters now for the last week or so and they will continue to do so. So we're going to have a lot of posters. We are busing students down to the Capital City Museum to take part in the march. I know that our friends at Frankfurt Independent are doing the same thing, so we're really excited. We're going to have representatives from every one of our schools. Some schools are going to have a few more than others. It's hard to get all 15 schools to do the exact same thing, you know so, but we're going to have a very large contingent of students who are going to get to participate in this event and really recreate history, and so we're really excited about that.
Speaker 1:
Let me bring in Mr Murphy just very briefly. Is there anything that you would like to add from the district's perspective? Talking about, you know, with our efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion and what you know, what makes us so excited about participating in this?
Speaker 3:
Yeah, I think that, just as Kateema, I think, mentioned the students listening to the students' excitement and voice we can learn a lot just from our students and I think giving them an opportunity to share what their visions are for just creating a better community, a better state, a better country really is empowering to us and motivating us. So I always love the opportunity to listen and to learn from our students. I think they have a lot that they show and teach us on a daily basis, so the students are excited about participating.
Speaker 3:
I've been getting pictures and their posters that they're making in schools and lots of questions that they have about just you know, what can I do to participate in that energy is. I love that energy, so looking forward to seeing all of our students there on March the 5th.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it's going to be a very exciting event, and it's one of those things where I love seeing when the community can come together and do something together that promotes more of what we need in this world equality, goodness, kindness, belonging All those things are incredibly important. So, going back to you, christy, in terms of the group, the focus on race relations and getting involved in this, what do you all see as one of the most beneficial outcomes of what this march is going to do for our community?
Speaker 2:
It opens up the conversation, and that is what we stand for. People are going to be talking about this. People are going to be asking why are we marching? What are we marching for? What was the reason for the march in 64? So, all of these conversations, especially with our youth, that's what's important. They, just, like Larry and Katina said, they're taking an interest, they're excited and they're the ones that are going to make these changes. Okay, we have tried, we will continue to try, but it is the youth that is actually standing up and saying we do not like what's been happening. We will not allow it to continue. This is what we're going to do. They are the change that we want to see. Focus on race relations. That is what we're focusing on All of us coming together and just having that conversation.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, what do you think, katima?
Speaker 4:
I mean, I guess, coming from um. I graduated class of 2014. So I we were having our 10 year reunion this year, which is crazy.
Speaker 4:
To me it's very crazy, but, coming from, coming from where I grew up and um, just throughout school, I know I learned a lot through the school. Through school, but I think once I hit 18, um, I didn't quite fully understand everything that was going on. I had to kind of do a little self-searching and um diving into that. But I've I learned at a very young age that in 25 years, my voice is going to be the one that needs to be heard and if I don't have, if I'm not educated about what's going on, and if I'm not making a making a direct action call on what needs to happen, I will have no impact. So I think representation matters right now, especially with the youth.
Speaker 4:
I know that you know, if we we encourage them to vote when they turn 18, but some might, some might think you know, what can I do until I turn 18? But you, using your voice, you showing up to this March, you are making an impact. You are, you are clearly making a message to um anybody out there, because we still need change today and um, it's always going to be an uphill battle, but your voice matters, no matter what age you are. Um, I think elementary school kids are coming. Peaks like that is a huge representation matters.
Speaker 1:
The youth are our future and if we're not giving them a platform now, they'll they'll probably feel like they never have a seat at the table, so right and and something that we talk about a lot uh in in education, uh, specifically in our district I think in many other districts as well it's this idea that we educate the whole child.
Speaker 1:
You know, it's not just about teaching reading skills or math skills or, you know, playing a sport. It's it's all of those things and uh, being able to experience an event like this that's going to promote the ideas and ideals of equity and inclusion and belonging those things are really important. Um, and and unfortunately, sometimes in our world today, everything gets politicized, and this is not, this should not be political. It's. It's kind of the same thing that we run into in terms of when we talk about promoting this idea of funding public education effectively. That should have never become a political issue. The same way that treating each other with respect, dignity and and making sure that you're promoting equality that that's not something that should ever become. This party believes this and this party believes this. We're Americans. That's what our country was founded on this idea that everyone is created equal and we're we deserve to be treated that way.
Speaker 2:
I'm glad you even mentioned that, because focus on race relations is not a political organization, and so I'm proud to be hosting this and sponsoring this because that's to let people know this isn't one way or another, this isn't a party fight, this is not political in any way. Just like you said, this is just people coming together for equality, right. You know, people coming together for justice, for freedoms. You know just your basic human rights. So we're excited to be.
Speaker 1:
And anyone want to add anything else.
Speaker 4:
I think I mean I think we covered it. I mean I think we're talking about humanity right now and kind of just equality across the board, and I really I'm I'm really happy to be, to be deep behind the scenes on this, because I have a huge sore spot in my heart for the kids. I really, I really love to bring them to the table. So I'm excited, I love it.
Speaker 1:
Well, something that you all may not know is on this on the show, after we talk about the main topics of the day, we do something a little fun. We talk about some fun facts.
Speaker 4:
I love it. Fun facts. It's time, all right.
Speaker 1:
And, and, and these are going to be. And, Larry, you got to participate in this too.
Speaker 2:
I'm ready, are you ready? All right, fun facts, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:
Question number one what is your favorite movie of all time? We'll start with Larry Murphy, because he says he's ready. My favorite movie?
Speaker 3:
I didn't even have to think about it.
Speaker 4:
I didn't even have to think about it, I'm ready.
Speaker 3:
All right, Katerina, you go. I need more time.
Speaker 4:
My favorite movie of all times is the Goonies.
Speaker 1:
Goonies Great.
Speaker 4:
All time favorite movie.
Speaker 1:
That's actually been mentioned before by a previous guest. So, okay, all right, harry.
Speaker 2:
Potter.
Speaker 4:
Oh, that's a good one. The original right the. Half-blood Prince is my favorite. Oh, that's a good one.
Speaker 1:
Okay, all right, cool, larry, you're on the hot seat, man, let's go.
Speaker 3:
I would probably say what's love got to do with it? Oh?
Speaker 4:
that's a good one.
Speaker 3:
Start at my my admiration for Tina Turner.
Speaker 1:
Awesome, Very good, very good, all right, so Only have three of these. Second question what is your favorite food, katima?
Speaker 4:
Oh gosh, favorite food. Favorite food had to say pasta. Yeah, I don't care what kind of pasta it is, give me the noodles Carb loathe.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, love it. I could kill myself with chocolate chip cookies.
Speaker 1:
I.
Speaker 3:
Could eat it every day, yep.
Speaker 1:
Yep, last question, and we're gonna start with Christy on this one last question, here we go. What is your favorite musical group or musical performer?
Speaker 2:
Michael Jackson. I've been to three of his concerts. I find it, every single one of them, I love him, and I'll love him till the just till I die. I'm a super fan.
Speaker 1:
I saw the Michael Jackson show in the Cirque de Soleil show in.
Speaker 2:
Vegas. Oh, it's the best I've seen. That twice unbelievable when they did the hologram of him yeah, yeah crazy, crazy.
Speaker 3:
All right, larry Murphy, I said mine Tina Turner and, yep, I got you beat. I've seen her eight times in a concert. Four times front row oh wow, wow, all right.
Speaker 4:
Man, man, man, this one's hard for me because I'm a music junkie. Uk artist, I would say Brent Fias. So for all my kids out there that know, brent Fias, you're a cool kid. And then if I had to choose a group, it would be the temptations.
Speaker 1:
Okay, temptations are solid. Listen, I really appreciate you all. Katima, christy, larry, thank you for being part of this. Thank you for promoting this. This is a wonderful event. We can't wait to collaborate with you and Until next time, I hope everyone has a wonderful day and we appreciate you listening.
Speaker 4:
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:
Well, that wraps it up for this week's episode of FCS unscripted. Thank you for listening in and I encourage you to subscribe and follow this weekly podcast when we will share updates, information and interviews with hashtag every one the wonderful students and staff who make up one team FCS. Have a great week, everybody. I.