George School is proud to welcome civil rights pioneer H. Julian Bond to campus for an all-school assembly and discussions with students and faculty on Friday, September 9, 2011.
 
Julian, a member of the George School Class of 1957, will be joined by Mark K. Updegrove ’80, director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Library in Austin, TX since 2009. During the assembly, Mark will interview Julian about his experiences as a politician, civil rights and student activist, and, at the time, one of the few African-American students at George School.

“We are eager for Julian to share his rich experiences and perspectives with our community,” said Head of School Nancy Starmer. “His visits always lead to meaningful discussions of social justice and inclusiveness, issues we care about deeply.”

A professor of history at the University of Virginia, Julian received a Library of Congress Living Legend Award in April. He is former chairman of the board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. As a student at Morehouse College in 1960, he helped organize the Atlanta student sit-in and anti-segregation protests and helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Julian has credited George School with introducing him to non-violent social change and individual community service.

In 1965, Julian was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives following passage of the Voting Rights Act. He was the first president of the Southern Poverty Law Center. In 1968, his name was proposed as a vice presidential candidate – but at twenty-nine, he was too young to hold the office. More recently, Julian has been a professor, poet, and narrator of several documentaries, including the PBS series “Eyes on the Prize.”

Mark Updegrove ’80 is an award-winning author described by CNN as "one of the country's best historians." A native of Philadelphia, Mark spent much of his career at Time magazine and later moved to New York as publisher of Newsweek.

This visit by Julian and Mark, coming at the close of the first week of classes, will be a catalyst for meaningful discussions and encourage members of the George School community to explore ideas about justice and civil rights throughout the academic year.

About George School
Founded in 1893 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), George School, a rigorous coed boarding and day school for grades nine through twelve, educates students from twenty-one states, thirty-eight foreign countries, and a variety of ethnic, racial, religious, and economic backgrounds. Through its commitment to diversity and the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and peacemaking, George School inspires students to be led by their own truths while respecting and appreciating opinions and beliefs different from their own. George School was one of the first schools in the United States to implement an International Baccalaureate diploma program. For information about admission, please call 215.579.6547 or visit http://www.georgeschool.org.