On Saturday, July 27th, I attended the world premier of
the documentary, STAND: The Story of Miles College and its’
leadership role in The Civil Rights Movement. The producer
of the documentary, Donna Dukes, the daughter of Frank
Dukes–the organizer of the “selective buying campaign” in
Birmingham, AL, that began at Miles College. The evening
was full of historical moments, guests that intrigued the
audience with their stories and the sometimes comical
moments that took place during the movement. The stories included
people like Eugene “Bull” Connor and how he played into the hands of
the organizers of the boycott. People like Dr. Lucius Pitts, the president
of Miles College during that time, and the phenomenal role that Miles
played in the movement that changed the world.
To take a trip down memory lane, Mr. Dukes, now 82 years old, was
a student at Miles College and the president of the Student Government
Association during 1961-62, and the creator of the selective buying
campaign. During that turbulent time in American history, it was against
the law to have a ‘boycott’. As a result, Mr. Dukes created another
way to address the issues concerning the segregation that existed in
Birmingham. The campaign began during Easter week of 1962. The
strategy for the selective buying campaign was to stop all shopping by
“colored” (African American) shoppers which hit the merchants where
they lived- their financial means. The Wall Street Journal reported
Bill Cosby Gives Pep Talk
Bill Cosby was in the Magic City this weekend as chair of the 50th Anniversary of the 1963 Civil Rights Movement. Saturday, he spoke at the “Changing
Lives Education and Entrepreneurial Summit” at the BJCC.
But for a few minutes early Friday morning, he was just an ex-ballplayer,
dropping some words of wisdom on the younger generation of ballers to get
them ready for a big game. Cosby delivered an insightful and, of course, comical message to the Miles’ football team at the Golden Bears’ walk-through
practice before they took on West Georgia on the road Saturday.
“My kids they were so excited,” Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said. “We
grew up watching, you know the history of Bill Cosby, “Fat Albert” and “The
Cosby Show” and all the stuff that they’ve done for people and communities
and not just black and white but all communities. (Cosby was) just showing
you life lessons. It was very special.”
The team huddled around Cosby near the 50-yard line at Albert J. SloanAlumni Stadium. He talked to players about the basics of football and, in
many ways, life.
VOLUME I • Issue 3
that black people spent more than $4 million dollars in revenue
weekly prior to this boycott-this was in 1962 (Stand: Documentary,
2013) The goal was to stop black shoppers from purchasing items
from the segregated stores in downtown Birmingham, AL. The black
people could shop in the stores but could not try on the clothes before
purchasing them, nor could they eat at the delicatessen in the stores
and they could not work in the stores. The people became motivated
by the injustices that existed in Birmingham, mainly the way they were
treated and the opportunities they were given-shopping, spending their
money, but never shopkeepers, shop owners of the places that took
advantage of their place in life.
It is difficult to capture in a limited amount of space the story of
Miles and its leadership role, but there is a wonderful preview of the
documentary on YouTube (type in Stand: Miles College Documentary).
It will inspire and enlighten you….It is a great day at Miles! q
Gwendolyn Dees, Assistant Professor, Division of Humanities
“No. 1,” Cosby said. “Know your assignment. And if you don’t know, go to
the coach and say, ‘I need help’. There’s always somebody who knows the
play. You don’t want to bother people when they say, ‘Break!’ and you come
out and say, ‘Where do I go?’ You’re not doing your team any good.”
“You have 10 other people on the field with you. Do your job!”, Cosby
exhorted. “Do your job. Don’t say, ‘Well, he’s good enough so he can do this
and I can stay out of it. Put it in there.”
He left the team with two rallying cries---’Courage’ and ‘Make it happen’.
He asked the players to repeat the mantras, not with a resounding shout
but with a reserved sincerity from within. He implored them to keep on fighting on the field until there was no time left on the clock and for each man to
look to himself to be the catalyst to change things.
“I watch him all the time when I have a chance,” Miles quarterback David
Thomas said of “The Cosby Show”. “Because my parents grew up off of it,
my cousins and family members. So, it’s just been a part of my life, learning
life lessons from him has just been great. Seeing him today was just a big
moment in my life.” q
The Miles Wire is a newsletter for the Miles College faculty and staff
distributed by the Office of College Relations. If you would like more
information about this publication, contact Alicia Johnson-Williams at
205-929-1641 or email at [email protected].
Editor: Alicia Johnson-Williams
ContributingWriter: Graphics & Design:
Proofing:
Gwendolyn Dees
Bruce Thomas
Tania Adams
September, 2013
Miles College, Moving Miles Forward
Dates to Remember
October 1, 1968 Attorney Arthur Shores is
the first black elected to the Birmingham City
Council
October 1, 1989 Colin Powell becomes first
black chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
October 8, 1966 The Black Panthers Party
founded
October 14, 1964 Reverend Martin Luther
King, Jr. awarded Nobel Peace Prize
October 20, 1958 Reverend Fred
Shuttlesworth, Reverend J.S. Phifer and 11
others arrested for protesting bus segregation
October 24, 1961 U.S. District Judge H.H.
Grooms orders desegregation of all city facilities
October 29, 1969 U.S. Supreme Court orders
desegregation of all public schools
October 30, 1979 Richard Arrington Jr.
elected as first black mayor of Birmingham
November 8, 1960 John F. Kennedy elected
president
November 11, 1960 Veterans Day
November 17, 1951 Denise McNair was
born
November 22, 1963 President John F.
Kennedy assassinated
December 1, 1955 NAACP member Rosa
Parks refuses to give up her seat on a public
bus
December 14, 1959 Federal Judge H.H.
Grooms rules that blacks can be seated
anywhere on Birmingham buses
December 25, 1956 Bomb explodes at the
home of the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
Miles College and its illustrious dence Hall. The new student activities
leader, Dr. George T. French, Jr., have center will be named in honor of the
been moving miles forward at lightning current President Dr. George T. French,
speed. From Father of the Year, to Presi- Jr. The new residence hall, will be named
dent of the Year, From Man of the Year in honor of the Chairman of the Board
of Trustees,
to the anticiBishop Tepated grand
resa E. Snoropening celton, and the
ebration, of
theater
in
not one, not
the Welcome
two, but three
and Enrollnew buildment Services
ings, the good
Center will
times are defibe
named
nitely rolling
in honor of
at Miles ColKirkwood
lege.
Balton.
On ThursDr. French & students discuss plans for the soon
Approxiday, October
to be dedicated buildings.
mately 5,000
17, Dr. French
will proudly present the three new build- attendees are anticipated for the cerings during the Ribbon Cutting Cer- emony. Guests will include hundreds of
emony and Grand Opening, of the New high school students, alums, board of
trustee memWe l c o m e
bers, comEnrollment
munity leadServices
ers, political
Center, Stuofficials, student Dining
dents, facCenter, and
ulty and staff
the 204-Bed
all gathered
Residence
to celebrate
Hall.
and to hear
In addispeakers
tion to the
such as Govgrand- openernor Robert
ing,
cerDr.
French
among
those
honored
as
Father
of
the
Year
Bentley, who
emony, New
by the American Diabetes Association.
is among the
Men’s Dorm
will be renamed in honor of Bishop Paul impressive list slated for the dais.
All in all, every day is a great day, at
A.G Stewart, Sr. and Bishop Lawrence
L. Reddick III. The dorm will now be Miles College. q
known as the Stewart Reddick Resi-
Miles College Welcomes
Dr. Kevin. P. Walsh
For the first time in
school history, Miles
College will offer golf
as a sponsored sport
the school recently announced. The Golden
Bears Golf Team begins
its inaugural season during the 2013-2014 school
year.
“This new golf team is
a great opportunity for
Miles College to show yet
another component of
the culture, class and civility that we instill in our
students.” says President
George T. French. “It is a
testament of the standard
Coach Leonard Smoot
of excellence that we expect from our students academically and holistically”.
Being charged with the task of building the Golden
Bear program is first year head coach Leonard Smoot. A
retired 24-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps
(USMC), Smoot brings over 20 years of competitive golf
experience. He has several top-10 finishes in competitive tournaments throughout Southeast Asia and Europe,
including wins at the Wago Championship (Okinawa, Japan) as well as the Staff & Officer Championship (Awase,
Japan). In 2002, Smoot became just the third AfricanAmerican to make the United States Marines Golf Team.
The Miles College golf team will take part in non-competitive events during the fall semester, beginning with
the National Black College Hall of Fame Golf Invitational,
September 27th-29th in Atlanta, GA. The Golden Bears’
season will officially begin in spring 2014.
“The motto for our golf team this season will be P.M.A.,
which stands for Positive Mental Attitude. What this
means is that regardless of the situation, we want our
student-athletes to have a positive mental attitude as well
as the will to win, whether it’s on the golf course, in the
classroom, or just functioning in society,” Smoot stated.
Coach Smoot states that he has already successfully recruited four players, two from Atlanta, GA and two from
Kimberly, Al. They are set to enroll as freshmen this fall
and he looks to add more golfers to the team prior to the
start of the upcoming season.
“My goal is to find good students that want to receive
a quality education. We want to develop a successful golf
program that can compete for SIAC Championships as
well as NCAA Division II Championships,” says Smoot.
For inquiries about the Miles College golf program,
contact Head Coach Leonard Smoot by email at lsmoot@
miles.edu or by phone at 205-929-1617. q
Miles College is proud to
announce the new Vice President of Institutional Planning
and Development and new
President’s Cabinet member,
Dr. Kevin P. Walsh. Dr. Walsh
is very excited about joining
the administrative staff and the
opportunity to expand current
development efforts by continuing to connect with donors, partners, and other community support entities. He
would also like to garner new
relationships that will further
strengthen the support of the
college and grow additional
Dr. Kevin P. Walsh
resources.
Dr. Walsh has a strong background in Higher Education and
nonprofit fundraising. He earned his Ph.D. in Early Childhood
and Elementary Education with double minors in Philosophy of
Education and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.
Walsh is a 14 time recipient of Excellence in Teaching Award at
U.A.B. and has been featured in a 1992 New York Times article,
“A Rising Argument That Teaching Values Should Rank With Lessons” Published: January 01, 1992” He has served as keynote
speaker at numerous national conventions including the National
School Board Association in Arkansas and the School Board Association in Louisiana School Board Association.
Dr. Walsh currently serves as the Greater Alabama Boy Scouts
Council Director of Learning for Life and Director of Human
Resources and previously served the organization as Director
of Education in Birmingham. His work with the Boy Scouts of
America, gave him the vision to begin Birmingham’s Youth Leadership Development Program in 2009. The YLDP soon grew to
serve over 500 students representing 53 different high schools
from around the greater Birmingham area. It also branched out
to develop YLDPs in St. Clair and Blount/Cullman counties, and
more are on the way! The YLDP was designed to give young people an in-depth experience in developing as students, leaders, and
citizens.
The Walsh Academy of Leadership is a three night/four day
leadership experience for rising seniors to expose them to many
new and diverse individuals, ideas and situations that will challenge them as leaders.
Dr. Walsh will lead the development team and its efforts at Miles
College which include but are not limited to: grant writing, annual
giving, donor cultivation, capital campaigns, and special fundraising events. q
Dr. Charles C. Woods Honored
Inducted into The Society of the Golden Key
Dr. Charles C. Woods
The University of West Alabama
honored its top students for their
academic achievement and leadership Wednesday, March 20,
during the institution’s annual
Honors Day convocation. In addition to recognizing student
honorees, the University inducted
three alumni into the Society of
the Golden Key, the highest honor
bestowed upon a UWA graduate.
The Society of the Golden Key
was established in 1963 to honor
outstanding alumni who have
brought distinction upon the University by the quality of their lives
and their achievements. Since the
initial charter, only 205 members
have been inducted.
Dr. Charles C. Woods of Alabaster received his bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in biology from the University of West Alabama
in 1987 and 1992, respectively. He earned his Ph.D. in environmental microbiology at Alabama A&M University in 1996 and accepted an Assistant Professorship in biology at Miles College in
1995. Over the next eight years, Woods achieved the rank of Professor, while teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses,
and maintaining a significant and rigorous research portfolio.
Woods’ courses and special research interests include general
and honors biology, environmental science, honors research,
soil science, scientific writing, geology, embryology, bioremediation, and phytoremediation. His publications and manuscripts include topics such as the microbiological characteristics of mine
spoils in Alabama and Tennessee and the relationship between
soil enzyme activity, viable plate count, and respiration, biomass,
and soil properties on microbial proliferation and wetland soils.
He has presented on topics such as environmental sustainability,
environmental justice, and African-Americans and science at several regional and national conferences and programs.
In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Woods has been extensively involved in professional development, leadership, and
programmatic activities for student enrichment. He serves on a
number of Miles College’s committees, including the Compliance
Certification Team, the Institutional Planning and Assessment
Team, the Judicial Council, the Honors Curriculum Committee,
and the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and serves as Chair
for the Faculty Development Committee and the Grants Writing
Committee.
Woods has experienced considerable success with procuring
external funding for a variety of initiatives at Miles College, many
of which provide enrichment services for minorities in STEM
fields. As Principal Investigator or collaborator, he has received
grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health’s Mentored Experiences in Research, Instruction,
and Teaching (MERIT) Program, NASA, the College Fund, the
Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center, and the
U.S. Department of Education’s Minority Science and Engineering
Improvement Program.
A few of Woods’ personal accolades include Miles College’s
Teacher of the Year, AAMU National Needs Scholarship Recipient, Patricia Robert-Harris Fellow, and recipient of the 2001 UWA
Alumni Achievement Award. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society
for Microbiology, the American Soil Science Association, the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers,
and the Agronomy Society of America. q
Schedule of Events
Golden Bears Golf Team
Sunday
11:00 a.m. Service at Miles Chapel
(hand out Mardi Gras Beads and Masks)
3:00 p.m. Mask Decoration
4:00 p.m. Coronation
9:00 p.m. Masquerade Ball
Monday
6:00 p.m. Talent Show
8:00 p.m. Bonfire (Burial of the Thorobred)
9:30 p.m. Hot Wing Eating Contest
11:00 p.m. Club Sub
Tuesday
11:00 a.m. High School Visitation Day/ fun fest
8:00 p.m. STS Bus Skating 8-12
Wednesday
11:00 a.m. Miles College Trivia
8:00 p.m. Comedy Show
Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Dedication
5:00 p.m. Community Service
6:00 p.m. Fashion/ Talent Show
7:00 p.m. Bourbon Street/Block Party
Friday
11:00 a.m. Stroll Off
9:00 p.m. Concert
Saturday
9:00 a.m. Miles College Homecoming Parade
4:00 p.m. Miles College Homecoming Game
8:00 p.m. Step Show