Martin Luther King Day - Striving for Higher Ground at Gould
![Aaliyah ’27 discusses J. Edgar Hoover's involvement with Martin Luther King Jr. during the student-led assembly]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1768859896/gouldacademyorg/artety32lkcielbfvzdx/MLKDay2026atGouldweb.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1768859896/gouldacademyorg/artety32lkcielbfvzdx/MLKDay2026atGouldweb.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1768859896/gouldacademyorg/artety32lkcielbfvzdx/MLKDay2026atGouldweb.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1768859896/gouldacademyorg/artety32lkcielbfvzdx/MLKDay2026atGouldweb.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1768859896/gouldacademyorg/artety32lkcielbfvzdx/MLKDay2026atGouldweb.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1768859896/gouldacademyorg/artety32lkcielbfvzdx/MLKDay2026atGouldweb.jpg","width":2048}])
“The battle is in our hands. And we can answer with creative nonviolence the call to higher ground to which the new directions of our struggle summons us.”
Our God Is Marching On! – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Contributed by Aaliyah ’27
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a reminder that progress is not passive; it is something we are called to actively participate in. Dr. King’s words challenge us to not only reflect on the past but to have the courage to enact change in the present. This year’s MLK Day programming invited our community to do just that.
We began the day with a school-wide assembly centered on Dr. King’s life and legacy. Through a slideshow presentation and viewing of Our God Is Marching On, the community explored King’s early life and educational background and the oppression he faced—including the federal investigation led by J. Edgar Hoover. The assembly also addressed King’s assassination and the lasting impact of his work, highlighting both the progress made and ongoing inequalities today.
Advisory Groups holding courageous conversations
In Advisory, students were encouraged to connect King’s mission to current events today, particularly ongoing conversations about immigration enforcement and ICE in the United States. These discussions aim to foster thoughtful, informed dialogue grounded in both historical context and present-day realities.
Additionally, during office hours, the DEIB Council, Current Events and Debate Club, and History Department co-sponsored an event where students could engage in conversation using credible sources to examine modern race relations and power systems.
Mr. Bergill's AP Composition class discusses Letter from Birmingham Jail
Lastly, classroom learning allowed for deeper engagement in the writings of Dr. King, such as his 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail, which was examined in the AP Language and Composition classes.
In all programming, our core values—courage, creativity, kindness, and curiosity—guided our approach, aiming not only to honor his work but to strive for the ‘higher ground’ he envisioned.