Samantha Jackson and Pastor Samuel Jackson
GPS ended the day on a reflective note on Monday, the national holiday commemorating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The daily assembly of students and faculty began with the first of two "stirring and ovation-inspiring" moments. Guest singer Deborah Gunn, accompanied by pianist Jeffery Turner, sang "The Greatest Love of All." The song, originally written as the main theme of the 1977 film "The Greatest,” a biographical movie about boxer Muhammad Ali, is best known for the rendition by Whitney Houston.
The next song “Hero,” with a similar theme, that of an individual’s power to be his or her own hero, was the soundtrack for what came next, avideo of images from Dr. King’s life: marches for voting rights and school integration, images from his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. in 1963, and photos of Dr. King and his supporters through the Civil Rights era until his assassination in Memphis in 1968.
Those elements of the assembly provided the backdrop for the introduction of Pastor Samuel Jackson, father of GPS senior Samantha Jackson, and a teacher at Ridgeland High School. In a tribute to Dr. King and without notes, he delivered Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, bringing to life the passion of Dr. King and leading to another standing ovation by all in the theatre. The program was a reminder of the contributions of Dr. King and his oratorical skills that continue to inspire us today, said officials.