MLK Day at Buxton

The work continues…

In January 1964, Reverend John H. Cross sent this letter to Buxton, thanking our students for raising funds after the September 15, 1963 bombing of Birmingham’s Sixteenth Street Baptist Church that killed four young girls: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair.

Reverend Cross worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Birmingham Campaign. The church served as headquarters for civil rights mass meetings and rallies, and after the bombing, Cross presided over the mass funeral where Dr. King delivered the eulogy.

Buxton’s founder Ellen Geer Sangster believed schools have “an obligation to widen the curriculum, because of the tremendous changes in our civilization.” In 1963, our students didn’t just learn about civil rights. They acted.

Sixty-three years later, we’re still acting. To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and his legacy, classes paused and Buxton students spent MLK Day in service at Multicultural BRIDGE and Macedonia Baptist Church in Great Barrington, organizing, cleaning, painting, and discussing mutual aid and grassroots organizing.

Education is more important than ever, especially given the historical context of this national holiday. It’s important to remember that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent most of his life under FBI surveillance, labeled a domestic terrorist, and viewed as a threat to the establishment for demanding justice. The fight to make MLK Day a national holiday was itself an act of resistance. Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” was a protest song written to fuel that movement.

We also recognize that Buxton has a complicated history of its own. We don’t want to gloss over the times this place has fallen short of our ideals. In an effort to reckon with and remedy our past shortcomings, we remain steadfastly dedicated to our mission, not just honoring moments like the efforts from 1964, but doing the ongoing work of creating a more just community.

The work continues.

Photos: Rev. Cross’s letter to Ellen Geer Sangster and Ben Fincke, Rev. Cross in the 16th Street Church after the bombing, the display case in our Arts Complex where you can view these letters, early writings from Mrs. Sangster, and our students in action in the community.

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Alumni and faculty: Were part of the 1963-64 fundraising effort or any of Buxton’s social justice work over the decades? We’d love to hear your stories. Your memories help us understand and honor this legacy. Please reach out to Director of Communication & Alumni Relations, Zoe Rosenbloom ’10 at zoe.rosenbloom@buxtonschool.org