Guest Speakers

Museum 2011 "Common Threads" Keynote Speaker Reverend Francis Walter

Reverend Francis Walter, Mobile Alabama native, discovered the quilts of the Freedom Quilting Bee in the midst of the civil-rights movement and soon brought their bold, contemporary colors and design aesthetic to the attention of a worldwide audience. The Freedom Quilting Bee was born in the civil rights movement as a way for poor black craftswomen in the Alabama Black Belt to earn money for their families. For more information about the Freedom Quilting Bee, follow this link.

Museum 2011 Maurice Drummond

Maurice Drummond was an exciting guest at this year’s museum. Mr. Drummond is the weekend sports anchor/reporter for FOX 2 sports team. Mr. Drummond shared, with students his love of sports and broadcasting sporting events with television audiences. Students viewed excerpts from recent broadcasts to experience first hand, his job in action. Mr. Drummond answered questions afterward from curious students and staff members. He has interviewed many world class athletes in his career, including Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Muhammad Ali to name a few. Mr. Drummond complemented students and would like to visit again in the near future.

Museum 2011 Elliott Davis

Elliott Davis was our opening guest speaker for the 2011 Hands on Black History museum. Mr. Davis participated in our “What’s my Line?” game as anxious second and third grade students asked questions to guess the profession of the guest behind the partition. He then shared with students a short talk about what his profession as an investigative reporter for FOX 2’s “You Paid for It.” An important message Mr. Davis left with students challenged students to look around at the professionals they see today, “You will be tomorrow’s professionals, lawyers, teachers, athlete’s and politicians, start thinking about what you want to be today.” Mr. Davis answered questions after his presentation. In addition to his ongoing investigative reporting, Mrs. Davis co-anchors evening newscasts on FOX 2 News on Friday and Saturday.

Museum 2010 "Featuring Blacks in the Military" Keynote Speaker Mr. George Watson Sr.

Technical Sergeant George Watson, Sr. was a Stock Control Chief and Unit Supervisor assigned to the 96^th Service Group, 336^th Service Squadron, 100^thPursuit Squadron at Tuskegee Airfield, Alabama. Sergeant Watson trained at the Tuskegee Army Flying Field and served as a member of the ground support for the black pilots who flew during World War II. He tirelessly promotes the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and works as the historian of the Hannibal M. “Killer” Cox Jr. Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., located at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.
George Watson came to the museum on the 22nd and shared his experiences with the students. They were quite fascinated as he told them of his difficulties, his triumphs, and some humorous stories. Furthermore, he added to the museum by donating jackets, hats, books, and posters.

Update:
On May 10th, 2010, George Watson was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained during an air raid. He was worried that if he reported his injury, because of the color of his skin, he would be sent back to infantry and away from the Tuskegee Airmen. Because there was no official report, the Army did not award him a Purple Heart. This changed on the tenth when, after much crusading and much aid, he was awarded his Purple Heart.

For more on this story, please click here.

Museum 2010 Julian Grace

Julian Grace, and Indianapolis native, got his start in television at WLNS, the CBS station in Lansing, Michigan. He baffled the students during his visit on What's My Line before finally revealing his position serving the News 4 team in St. Louis, using his years of experience to break stories and present news.

Museum 2010 Lakisha Jackson

What's My Line contestant number 3, Lakisha Jackson is a web producer from Illinois that works at St. Louis's KMOV. Having a Bachelor of Science in mass communications, Lakisha applies her skills in hosting KMOV's "The Buzz" videos and updating her "Say What?!" blog.

Museum 2010 Colonel Craig O'Neal

Colonel Craig O'Neal was a "What's My Line?" guest presenter. Mr. O'Neal enjoyed sharing exerpts from his thirty year Air Force career experience. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Colonol O'Neal is presently stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

Museum 2010 Barbara Bailey

Ms. Barbara Bailey was our first 2010 guest speaker for the "What's my Line" game. Ms. Bailey isVice President, Chief Operating Officer, Grace Hill Neighborhood Health Centers, Inc.
Ms. Bailey has more than 25 years experience as a health care professional and currently has oversight of operations at six Grace Hill locations. She previously held the positions of Director of Nursing
Services and Health Center Manager. During her tenure at Grace Hill, she opened Grace Hill's sixth primary care site, Grace Hill @ BJC Behavioral Health.

Museum 2008 Keynote Speaker Sterling Ashby

Sterling Ashby was the museum's first guest speaker. Mr. Ashby shared experiences about Bessie Coleman, the first licensed African American airplane pilot, Matthew Henson, African American explorer, and Benjamin Banneker, an African American mathematician, from his first line of African American action figures. Mr. Ashby is a lawyer in the Washington D.C. area and is founder of HIA toys (History in Action).

To find out more about him or his projects, go to:
http://www.hiatoys.com/

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Guest Speakers