Whitefield Academy established the Carver-Wheatley Essay Award in 2014 as part of its ongoing commitment to both furthering Christian academic excellence and celebrating the racial, ethnic, and economic diversity within the body of Christ. The purpose of the award is to promote deeper thinking among our student body about the integrated lives that Christians are called to live. This award is named in honor of both George Washington Carver, acclaimed scientist and researcher, and Phyllis Wheatley, noted 18th century poet and author, who were profound contributors to American life. Each year, the Carver-Wheatley Award recognizes the winning essays in the Upper School and Middle School for their thoughtful responses to a question that reflects the spirit of the lives of both Carver and Wheatley.
2015 Theme
How can we address instances of social injustice in twenty-first century America using Dr. King's ideas of non-violent protest?
Eleventh/Twelfth Grade Winner
Peter Keith
As I watched various news channels’ coverage of the events in Ferguson late last year, my heart hurt for America. I kept saying in my mind, “this is not what we stand for,” “surely our country is beyond this,” and other things along those lines. But as the rioting and looting carried on into the early morning hours, I realized that we as a country were not beyond racial tensions boiling over into violence, just as they did during Martin Luther King Jr’s day. In the following days, I realized that if a great orator, speaker, activist, and revered man like Dr. King did what he did and only had a relatively short impact on our culture, how much further we as a people have to go in order to fulfill Dr. King’s dreams of a diverse, accepting nation. But there is one clear place to start on our journey towards nonviolent reactions to social (in)justice, and that is with Dr. King’s words and thoughts on the matter.
Martin Luther King Jr. had six key principles of nonviolent protest. I will not go into detail on all of them, but I would like to highlight a few of his points and why they are so incredibly vital to our society today. He holds that the evil, not the people committing the evil acts, should be what is protested. This is very difficult to pinpoint and accomplish, but there are ways in which it can be done. I will point back to Ferguson as an example. What rioters did when they marched on the police headquarters and stood outside the buildings is the opposite of what Dr. King says they should do. The alternative would be to raise awareness of police violence in our country through petitions or propaganda; the only way to do this perfectly is through nonviolent means. Again, I cannot say this is easy. I am in no position to make claims about the pain protesters in that community felt. But Dr. King’s words must be taken into account and made known in the community if this country as a whole ever wants to come together with open arms.
Dr. King’s last principle of nonviolence is that the protestors must have faith in the future, knowing that “the universe is on the side of justice.” Like the first principle, this is extremely difficult to do. To make a generalization, a group of protestor is generally not the most patient entity in the world. I mean if they were, why would they need to protest? Having faith in the future does not mean sitting back and not stating what needs to be stated. It means having your say and knowing what you can and cannot accomplish. The best hope for justice in not with violent protests but with the justice system. Like Dr. King said, the universe is on the side of justice. That justice might not come to fruition for many years, but ultimately everything will work itself out. Violent protests may make society even more off-kilter than it was before, and can potentially destroy the good things that might have happened in the future.
When we look back on history, with what connotation do we remember Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement? We look back at his speeches and the March on Washington with respect, reverence, and amazement. We revel at the notion that one man could transform a country and achieve what he did. We are filled with sorrow and contempt that his life was taken away from him so early and in such vulgar fashion. What will we think when we look back on the Ferguson riots and other violent protests like them? I certainly hope that we won’t have the same feelings for them that we do for Dr. King, and I do not think we will. Martin Luther King Jr’s ideas of nonviolent protest transformed a broken country, a country just as broken as it is today. We need to look to his wisdom, look to his brilliant solutions to our problem. We are not beyond repair, but the road to recovery must start now.
Ninth/Tenth Grade Winnter
Olivia Nandkeolyar
“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; ‘and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.’” Representing a future for America in which everyone, regardless of their race or socioeconomic status, has the ability to walk on equal footing, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embodied the ideals of freedom. Utilizing a desire to find understanding in opposition and to eradicate evil itself, instances of social injustice in modern America should be combated with Dr. King’s ideas of nonviolent protest.
Facing social injustice with love as opposed to resentment for opposition, Dr. King’s ideas of nonviolent protest emphasize the necessity of gaining the opponent’s “friendship and understanding”(King, Stride). In present-day America, instances of inequity often result in hatred and tension between antagonistic sides. But, as Dr. King stresses, those with contrasting ideas should seek to earn the respect and understanding of their opposition. And thus leaders should strive to find love for their opposition in contrast to condemning those who disagree. Similarly, the base of protest should be rooted not in a desire to harass one’s adversaries, but to provide light to a troubling issue and to come to a mutual agreement. This method of non-violent protest thus allows those who demonstrate to gain the respect of their opponents and eliminates the idea that one race or class should emerge as superior. In modern America, leaders must set a precedent by exhibiting respect and love for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Social injustice in America must be overcome but not through the use of brutality and severity. Sinking to the level of abuse only worsens the problem, opposing sides must obtain understanding and love.
Focusing on the elimination of evil at it’s core, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas of nonviolent demonstration highlight the true purpose of protest. Rather than seeking to eradicate a specific issue, Dr. King emphasized the notion of opposing the evil, not those committing the maleficent acts. In present-day America, people groups and classes become targeted in acts of protest when in actuality the greater issue is rooted in evil. Instead of attempting to condemn one people group for their beliefs, Dr. King emphasized the necessity of opposing the corruption itself. Applying to not only social and racial instances of injustice in America but also extending to the Middle East and Africa, the philosophy of targeting evil at its’ core extends to areas of religious intolerance. Also, Dr. King’s belief in having a “deep faith in the future” should be taken into consideration in modern America (King, Stride). Issues of social injustice will not simply vanish, but with toleration and understanding Dr. King emphasized that the foundations for the future would be positioned.
Through the eradication of evil and the gaining of understanding, instances of social inequity should be addressed according to Dr. King’s principles of nonviolent protest based in love. Seeking to lay the foundations for a world in which race and class is of no meaning, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. imagined a nation with equal opportunities and experiences for all, he yearned for the principles that America was founded on. A nation divided by social and racial injustice can not bond together against the greater corruptions and displays of evil in this world.
2015 Theme
How can we address instances of social injustice in twenty-first century America using Dr. King's ideas of non-violent protest?
Eleventh/Twelfth Grade Winner
Peter Keith
As I watched various news channels’ coverage of the events in Ferguson late last year, my heart hurt for America. I kept saying in my mind, “this is not what we stand for,” “surely our country is beyond this,” and other things along those lines. But as the rioting and looting carried on into the early morning hours, I realized that we as a country were not beyond racial tensions boiling over into violence, just as they did during Martin Luther King Jr’s day. In the following days, I realized that if a great orator, speaker, activist, and revered man like Dr. King did what he did and only had a relatively short impact on our culture, how much further we as a people have to go in order to fulfill Dr. King’s dreams of a diverse, accepting nation. But there is one clear place to start on our journey towards nonviolent reactions to social (in)justice, and that is with Dr. King’s words and thoughts on the matter.
Martin Luther King Jr. had six key principles of nonviolent protest. I will not go into detail on all of them, but I would like to highlight a few of his points and why they are so incredibly vital to our society today. He holds that the evil, not the people committing the evil acts, should be what is protested. This is very difficult to pinpoint and accomplish, but there are ways in which it can be done. I will point back to Ferguson as an example. What rioters did when they marched on the police headquarters and stood outside the buildings is the opposite of what Dr. King says they should do. The alternative would be to raise awareness of police violence in our country through petitions or propaganda; the only way to do this perfectly is through nonviolent means. Again, I cannot say this is easy. I am in no position to make claims about the pain protesters in that community felt. But Dr. King’s words must be taken into account and made known in the community if this country as a whole ever wants to come together with open arms.
Dr. King’s last principle of nonviolence is that the protestors must have faith in the future, knowing that “the universe is on the side of justice.” Like the first principle, this is extremely difficult to do. To make a generalization, a group of protestor is generally not the most patient entity in the world. I mean if they were, why would they need to protest? Having faith in the future does not mean sitting back and not stating what needs to be stated. It means having your say and knowing what you can and cannot accomplish. The best hope for justice in not with violent protests but with the justice system. Like Dr. King said, the universe is on the side of justice. That justice might not come to fruition for many years, but ultimately everything will work itself out. Violent protests may make society even more off-kilter than it was before, and can potentially destroy the good things that might have happened in the future.
When we look back on history, with what connotation do we remember Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement? We look back at his speeches and the March on Washington with respect, reverence, and amazement. We revel at the notion that one man could transform a country and achieve what he did. We are filled with sorrow and contempt that his life was taken away from him so early and in such vulgar fashion. What will we think when we look back on the Ferguson riots and other violent protests like them? I certainly hope that we won’t have the same feelings for them that we do for Dr. King, and I do not think we will. Martin Luther King Jr’s ideas of nonviolent protest transformed a broken country, a country just as broken as it is today. We need to look to his wisdom, look to his brilliant solutions to our problem. We are not beyond repair, but the road to recovery must start now.
Ninth/Tenth Grade Winnter
Olivia Nandkeolyar
“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; ‘and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.’” Representing a future for America in which everyone, regardless of their race or socioeconomic status, has the ability to walk on equal footing, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embodied the ideals of freedom. Utilizing a desire to find understanding in opposition and to eradicate evil itself, instances of social injustice in modern America should be combated with Dr. King’s ideas of nonviolent protest.
Facing social injustice with love as opposed to resentment for opposition, Dr. King’s ideas of nonviolent protest emphasize the necessity of gaining the opponent’s “friendship and understanding”(King, Stride). In present-day America, instances of inequity often result in hatred and tension between antagonistic sides. But, as Dr. King stresses, those with contrasting ideas should seek to earn the respect and understanding of their opposition. And thus leaders should strive to find love for their opposition in contrast to condemning those who disagree. Similarly, the base of protest should be rooted not in a desire to harass one’s adversaries, but to provide light to a troubling issue and to come to a mutual agreement. This method of non-violent protest thus allows those who demonstrate to gain the respect of their opponents and eliminates the idea that one race or class should emerge as superior. In modern America, leaders must set a precedent by exhibiting respect and love for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Social injustice in America must be overcome but not through the use of brutality and severity. Sinking to the level of abuse only worsens the problem, opposing sides must obtain understanding and love.
Focusing on the elimination of evil at it’s core, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas of nonviolent demonstration highlight the true purpose of protest. Rather than seeking to eradicate a specific issue, Dr. King emphasized the notion of opposing the evil, not those committing the maleficent acts. In present-day America, people groups and classes become targeted in acts of protest when in actuality the greater issue is rooted in evil. Instead of attempting to condemn one people group for their beliefs, Dr. King emphasized the necessity of opposing the corruption itself. Applying to not only social and racial instances of injustice in America but also extending to the Middle East and Africa, the philosophy of targeting evil at its’ core extends to areas of religious intolerance. Also, Dr. King’s belief in having a “deep faith in the future” should be taken into consideration in modern America (King, Stride). Issues of social injustice will not simply vanish, but with toleration and understanding Dr. King emphasized that the foundations for the future would be positioned.
Through the eradication of evil and the gaining of understanding, instances of social inequity should be addressed according to Dr. King’s principles of nonviolent protest based in love. Seeking to lay the foundations for a world in which race and class is of no meaning, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. imagined a nation with equal opportunities and experiences for all, he yearned for the principles that America was founded on. A nation divided by social and racial injustice can not bond together against the greater corruptions and displays of evil in this world.