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Activist Shares Experiences as the 2019 Thoreau Speaker

By Upper School History and Social Studies Co-Chair Andrew Bigelow

Michael Gaylord James is a legendary Chicago native and social justice activist, and this year we were lucky enough to have him as the Thoreau Speaker. Every year, the junior civic lab teachers search for a modern-day Thoreau to speak with the entire grade.

The criteria is simple: the person has to have been arrested for standing up for social reform and against injustice. James was the ideal candidate given his many times behind bars due to his lifelong dedication for just cause. James is a veteran of the 1968 Democratic Convention demonstrations and the political and cultural struggles of that era. He has received considerable notoriety regarding 1968, having been photographed rocking a police paddy wagon during events at Michigan Avenue and Balbo Street. As a founder of the newspaper Rise Up Angry, he worked with and advocated for Chicago’s Rainbow Coalition, which included the Black Panthers and the American Indian Movement, to name a few. He helped start and owned the Heartland Cafe and co-hosts the weekly Heartland Show.

James is a true believer in civil disobedience, social justice and an active lifestyle. His mantra is “do good in the world—the world needs all the good that you do.” The junior class welcomed James and found his stories and his exemplary life riveting. James was our 15th Thoreau Speaker, and he will be a tough act to follow!

Click here to learn more about James.
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Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.