Kevin White

James-Brown-Mayor-Kevin-White

 

“Martin Luther King loved this city, and it’s up to our generation to prove his faith in us.”

 

Kevin White’s obituary provides a short course in local history. His tenure (1968-1984) saw the development of, for example, Quincy Market.

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It also included one of Boston’s most painful episodes, the busing crisis.

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With the holiday Monday, we discussed Martin Luther King’s connection to Boston, as well as how, and why, our classroom would have looked differently before the city’s desegregation of schools.

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And then we watched the beginning of the concert below. Now known as “the night James Brown saved Boston,” it features a short speech by Mayor White, four months into the job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lZZ_FCn9PY

 

We only had time for the first two songs, alas. I don’t think any of the students had seen James Brown perform before; most didn’t recognize his name (although everyone knew “I Feel Good”). Teacher pro tip: if you want your kids to leave class in a better mood, end with a James Brown gig.