Authentic Hope

He had arrived early, John Hope Franklin, a jewel of humanity who'd lingered long on the grounds of the New Schools at Carver, deep in Atlanta's 'hood. No apology necessary, he assured me, flumoxed that he'd gotten there before us. The twinkling eyes that had captivated students for 70 years softened the somberness in his handsome, reflective face. He said he'd been wandering the grounds for over an hour, communing with the spirits of many long gone, retracing many of the American lurches toward equality which he'd described in his splendid autobiography published the year before when he was a mere 90 years old, Mirror to America.

I'd read the book, so I should not have been surprised. But I was.

Of course! The main building at New Schools had been restored as the centerpiece of what had once been among the sorriest excuses for a high school in the country. But before THAT, these grounds had housed pioneering institutions created to educate African-Americans. In fact, Dr. Franklin's parents had named him the legend of a man whom they admired deeply -- Dr. John Hope, the first African-American to serve as President of Morehouse College, then as President of the first graduate school for African-Americans, Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University.)

That took place right where we were standing! Not only were we in the presence of a giant among men, we were gathered precisely where many who had contributed to HIS successes and that of the African-Americans for whom he still wanted full citizenship, just as he had when he helped win "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas" in 1954.

This place was even more than personal, this was living history!

The program that followed was vintage John Hope Franklin, Ph.D. A razor-sharp intellect. Relentless truthfulness about how America's troubled history must serve us and not we it. An unapologetic activist, equally engaged with America's past, present, and future tense, still shining a light ahead for hip-hop clad kids young enough to be his great-grands.

His quiet power drew on his own middle name when combined with a passion for justice and the courage to strive for it. Here was the political savant, concerned that we, the sovereign people reclaim our promise of governing ourselves, outlining the unending work ahead if the potential for our own greatness as a nation is ever to be realized in these United States. And at every turn, Dr. John Hope Franklin offered us all his first-hand stories of the lifetime he'd spent bringing ideas to life.

So why were we at New Schools in the first place, and not in our studio? Because we'd wanted to share with their students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be in the presence of genuine hero, an authentically famous individual whose life represented real Greatness.

As we concluded the one-hour recording of the Show itself, and before we took questions from the students, Dr. Franklin covered his mike with his hand and whispered to Bill and me, "Is there something wrong with these students?" Mystified, we assured him that as far as we knew all was well, why did he ask? "These are teenagers ... and they've been sitting here more than an hour ... in silence!"

Mission, truly, accomplished.

The "Paula Gordon Show" we recorded with Dr. Franklin at the New Schools at Carver is available to be heard, in full, at our website.

Comments

[paulita]

I wish your story was more prominently featured on the Huffington Post, so others can read about this great person.

Even the angels are called home eventually, and a man of elegance, intellect, and grace has left us. I hope he gets the prominent recognition he deserves for 94 years of service to America.

Dear friends at Huffington Post, please put a story about this great African American legend on the front pages.