The Earliest Speech I Ever Gave | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

The Earliest Speech I Ever Gave

So after a jam-packed week in Seattle and then in Portland), I got up Sunday morning to drive the hour or so to a town I'd never visited to speak to a church about race relations in Mississippi (and in Oregon, and everywhere in between). My talk to the First Christian Church, as described today in the Albany (Ore.) Democrat-Herald, came about because of an interview I did on NPR back in January after the Seale indictments.

Democrat-Herald Editor Graham Kislingbury said he pulled over to the side of the road to listen to me talk about race relations in Mississippi and why telling these stories is so important. He called and asked me if I would meet with a group of kids his church was bringing to Mississippi, which I did, along with JoAnne Morris and Natalie Collier. (See my column inspired by their visit.)

After the visit here, the ministry organizers asked if I would speak to an adult forum while I was in Oregon this month. The turnout was wonderful, and the conversation was very dynamic. Albany is a very "white" town, but people at that forum at least are really interested in the importance of using history to teach and learn from. It was exhilarating, and I apprecate them inviting me to do it.

Previous Comments

ID
113273
Comment

BTW, here's a cute picture of Todd from his very-popular presentation an AAN.

Author
DonnaLadd
Date
2007-06-19T15:49:55-06:00
ID
113274
Comment

Yay, Donna! Also, Todd looks like he's running for office in that picture. :-P

Author
LatashaWillis
Date
2007-06-19T16:42:48-06:00
ID
113275
Comment

Yeah, goatee, tux shirt, faded jeans and all! That's my kind of candidate. ;-)

Author
DonnaLadd
Date
2007-06-19T16:59:38-06:00
ID
113276
Comment

The question was: Who needs a bathroom break? Am I right?

Author
Brian C Johnson
Date
2007-06-19T17:08:22-06:00
ID
113277
Comment

ROTFL

Author
LatashaWillis
Date
2007-06-19T17:09:27-06:00
ID
113278
Comment

Snicker.

Author
DonnaLadd
Date
2007-06-19T17:19:14-06:00
ID
113279
Comment

I think that was the part where I was saying "please, please...sit down...that is enough adulation." Either that or I was giving the benediction. Or admitting I'm a blog-aholic. Or showing off my new prosthetic arm. I hate pictures of myself. ;-)

Author
Todd Stauffer
Date
2007-06-19T19:19:24-06:00
ID
113280
Comment

I hate most of my pictures, too. To me, my head looks like a big meatball. :-P

Author
LatashaWillis
Date
2007-06-19T19:26:32-06:00
ID
113281
Comment

I heard that Todd was asking for a show of hands of who wanted to meet him for karaoke later at the hotel bar.

Author
Dr. S
Date
2007-06-20T16:14:26-06:00
ID
113282
Comment

Something interesting in the Albany Democrat-Herald article: "She found both, however, while working in DJ jobs in northern states." Donna, I didn't know you were a DJ. Cool! Any maybe it's just me, but Todd looks like a younger (and sober) Billy Joel.

Author
golden eagle
Date
2007-06-20T19:56:56-06:00
ID
113283
Comment

Yes, I was a club deejay for about a decade in several states. That's what funded my early writing careeer. ;-) I was a radio jock for a couple years. That was OK, but it didn't pay as well as club work, and it was lonely.

Author
DonnaLadd
Date
2007-06-21T09:12:58-06:00
ID
113284
Comment

donna do you still do any deejaying?

Author
jd
Date
2007-06-21T09:21:10-06:00
ID
113285
Comment

No, not really. I'm way out of practice. ;-)

Author
DonnaLadd
Date
2007-06-21T09:39:30-06:00

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