RSJ in U.S. History Information Page: Davis Senior High School

02/14/2024

Here's an interview Joe McGill did with Sam Shane on KFBK's "The Morning News". The event is on 2/15/24 at Brunelle Theater on the DSHS campus:

Joe McGill is the founder of the Slave Dwelling Project, an effort to preserve the history of those involved with slavery and the places where they lived. In Joe's interview with KFBK, you'll hear his motivations for the cause and how he is furthering the memory of enslaved people.

02/13/2024

Here is a "trailer" for Joe McGill's book, "Sleeping With the Ancestors". Remember, Joe will be speaking tomorrow night at Brunelle Theater at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public.

Authors Joseph McGill and Herb Frazier discuss their new book, SLEEPING WITH THE ANCESTORS, from the Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, SC. SLEEPING WITH THE...

11/14/2023

I'm bringing back our annual fundraiser, No Shave November. Starting in 2010 (with a COVID break from 2020-2022), I began this tradition as a fun way to raise money for the RSJ guest speaker program.

Money gets donated to a particular shave look (right now the only look is Necky Neckbeard). The look with the highest donated total "wins". This means I shave all this facial and head hair into the look. I will then wear it to school all day on December 1st, and make a public appearance. All will be documented.

You can see the fundraiser webpage and find the donation form (just scroll down) at:

https://sites.google.com/a/djusd.net/no-shave-november/home

This is my first No Shave November since 2019 (4 months before the COVID shutdown). I apologize for not doing this last year, but with hosting Melba Beals on November 7th, and Joe McGill (Slave Dwelling Project) in February 2024, I needed to revive the fundraiser.

Please consider donating, and also spice things up with finding another look besides Necky Neckbeard. Also take a trip down memory lane (2010-2019) to see what I shave look "won" from 2010-2019.

Growth of beard will end on November 30, 2023. Beard shape will be worn to school on Friday, December 1, 2023. Goals and Background of this Fundraiser / Another Way to Donate: Nugget Scrip Updated 11/13/23. TOTAL PLEDGED FOR NO SHAVE NOVEMBER 2023: Total Pledged: $110 (Leader: Necky Neckbeard

11/01/2023

Dr. Melba Beals, one of the Little Rock 9 will be speaking via Zoom to a live audience at Brunelle Theater on the campus at Davis Senior High School on Tuesday, November 7th, 2023, at 7 pm. The event is open to the public and is free. Dr. Beals will speak for 20 minutes and then take questions from the live audience. If you message me, I can give you the Zoom link.

Here is an interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show:

https://youtu.be/tQEjRR5fCQo?si=dP8UWVJU65fwOgRL

10/07/2023

Just listened to this episode of Throughline about a early environmental justice movement in Warren County, North Carolina. It brings up the idea of environmental classism and racism.

Deborah and Ken Ferruccio saw the toxic chemical spill while they were driving home late one summer night in 1978: a big smelly swath of brown oil on the side of the road. Reverend Willie T. Ramey saw it too. He was a pastor at two local churches and a respected community leader. And not long after....

07/28/2020

The History Challenge, Episode Two: Jim Zwerg

07/28/2020

History Challenge #2. Jim Zwerg: Worked with John Lewis and rode with him on one of the earliest Freedom Rides. Jim got beaten so bad in Montgomery, AL that he couldn't continue his ride. This interview gives insight into Jim Zwerg's hopes, motives, and character. Jim has mentioned John Lewis as an amazing example.

06/19/2020

History Challenge: Episode One. John Dau.

I interviewed John Dau (God Grew Tired of Us, John Dau Foundation) at the end of April 2020 with four topics: childhood, adolescence, adulthood and "the challenge".

The 'challenge' required someone close to him to ask a question he wasn't expecting. His wife asked "Why did you buy two gallons of milk on your first visit to the grocery store."

The video was edited by Lili Ma. Upcoming interview with Jim Zwerg (1961 Freedom Ride).

Interview with a total of 4 questions: Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Challenge. The challenge question comes from someone you know, but the question...

06/19/2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZGiVzIr8Qg

David Bowie taking on a current issue over 35 years ago. Being an ally, understanding the issue and using his platform. And the way he ends the interview is amazing.

David Bowie has some questions and criticisms about MTV’s lack of videos featuring black artists in this 1983 interview with Mark Goodman. Subscribe to MTV N...

01/03/2020

Bob Dunning (Davis Enterprise columnist) will be speaking at Davis Senior High School (DSHS) at lunch on Wednesday, January 15th. This event will be at lunch (12:10-12:52) and will only be open to students at DSHS.

Bob will discussing Davis' move to district elections for citywide office. He has written numerous articles on the topic.

Every time we have a local election in this town, it seems someone comes out of the woodwork to suggest there’s a better way to do things. One consistent suggestion is that we switch to district elections, where the town is carved up into five or maybe even seven distinct districts, each with its ...

05/12/2019

Le Ly Hayslip will be speaking TWICE on Tuesday, 5/28. Once at lunch (12:00 to 12:42) in Brunelle Theater - this event is free but only open to current DSHS students. At 6 p.m. (also in Brunelle Theater), she will also be speaking. This event is also free and is open to the public. Below you'll find information from a flyer created by Eileen Guerard:

Le Ly Hayslip is a Vietnamese-American memoirist and humanitarian. Through her foundations, she has worked to rebuild cultural bridges between Vietnam and America following the Vietnam War.

Le Ly Hayslip grew up in a poor village near Da Nang, Vietnam during the war. She is the author of two autobiographical bestsellers; "When Heaven and Earth Changed Places" and "Child of War, Woman of Peace", which were adapted for the film "Heaven and Earth" by Academy Award-winning director, Oliver Stone.

Le Ly survived the horrors and hardship of war in Vietnam, overcoming all odds and moving to the US in 1970. In 1986, Le Ly returned to Vietnam and was stunned by the devastation, poverty and diseases left by the US / Vietnam War. Seeing an opportunity to make a difference, she founded East Meets West Foundation and became a bridge builder by bringing American groups back to Vietnam to help restore her motherland and open the dialogue between the two nations.

Join us to hear her story, and about her work for peace, in her own words.

03/10/2019

Jim Zwerg will be talking with the DSHS students via video conference soon. Jim is an inspiration/father figue to me. One of the many amazing things he has told me is "Being nonviolent is extremely difficult. The thing is, love is the most powerful means to bring about constructive change. You don’t love the violence but can and do love the violent person. Its an amazing thing to experience. Love grows in proportion to the violence and remains loving and forgiving. Adding to its power is the truth that it is not your individual love but the love of the combined group and…the reality that an even greater LOVE was working in us and through us. No hatred or violence can defeat that kind of love. It is very humbling but also exhilarating to experience in your life".