Lipscomb's Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society takes students to Tuskegee History Museum
Kasie Corley |
Lipscomb University’s College of Leadership & Public Service Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society's academic director Randy Spivey and a group of seven students traveled to Tuskegee, Alabama to assist the Tuskegee History Museum with archival work during Lipscomb’s spring break.
Since its start in 2007, the institute works to instill in its students the idea that legal change is one of the surest means to effect social change. Students of the institute consider America’s legal system from a multidisciplinary perspective to gain a fuller understanding of its mechanisms, practice, and consequences.
The students assisted the Tuskegee History Museum with archival work, focused largely on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, scouring 1930s and 1940s census data to learn more about the men involved. The syphilis study drew public outcry in 1972 when an Associate Press story led to a review which found the participants were never given adequate treatment for their disease even after penicillin became the treatment of choice for syphilis in 1947. In 1973, attorney Fred Gray filed a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of the study participants and families resulting in a $10 million settlement a year later.
“It was a tremendous experience,” said Spivey. “The students got to handle some original documents, very carefully. They got to see some really serious and monumental stuff from Fred Gray’s law practice.”
Senior Morgan DeLong is grateful for the opportunity, proudly displaying a photo reviewing historical documents with Gray as her phone’s background. “I think we’re really fortunate to have professors who seek out opportunities like the spring break trip to Tuskegee. I know that trip changed the rest of my life.”
The experience provided more than the rare opportunity to study historically impactful documents. Students spent time with Gray and at the Rosenwald School where they met and spoke with relatives of the syphilis study participants.
“Before we went to the Rosenwald school, we had actually done census research on the victims of the trial,” said junior law and ethics major Madson White. “After we visited the school, we went to the cemetery and were able to see the names we were researching just a just a few hours ago and then stand at their grave site with their relatives. You don’t know how to handle yourself in those moments. We met history face-to-face.”
Senior Christian Monyei agreed. “It was amazing because we were able to sit with the descendants of the victims of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. One of the relatives said that after all has been said and done, forgiveness is what needs to happen because there is too much hate in this world. That just really resonated with me because that is such a powerful sentiment,” he reflected.
DeLong was touched by the inclusion the families provided to her and the students. “I felt very privileged that they welcomed us into their story. To go to Tuskegee and see their names at the museum, then to be around their relatives, people that it truly affected and it’s still affecting, and for them to be so open with us and to share with us and offer us advice, I felt so privileged to sit and listen.”
The experience also provided students with significant time with Mr. Gray. They were awestruck not for his prestige, but his humbleness. “Even just being in the presence of Fred Gay is phenomenal,” said DeLong. “He doesn’t want you to acknowledge him. He wants you to go on as normal.”
“He’s definitely a guy who knew his purpose early on and didn’t let anybody or anything impede his goal,” said Monyei.
“He changed the system by the system,” echoed DeLong. “I think that’s the beautiful thing about American law because of the type of change you can influence through the law is huge. That avenue for change is one of the most effective and broad reaching,” she said.
Gray’s diligence to research and gaining an understanding of the system allowed him to integrate all Alabama schools in one case, Lee v. Macon County Board of Education, an accomplishment achieved only in Alabama. Elsewhere, cases against individual counties were conducted in an iterative process to finally integrate schools.
The students were attune to Gray’s strategic mind. “He didn’t partake in a lot of the marches because he knew that people were going to get arrested and they had to have an attorney to get them out of jail,” said White. “He knew every step of the way to figure out how he could be the most helpful and that it may not be standing right next to Martin Luther King Jr. on the march. That might be getting them out of jail.”
Perhaps one of the biggest lessons the students learned during the trip was to do the right thing no matter its popularity. “Don’t be so afraid of discomfort that you allow injustice to continue. We deal with this same thing all the time where people don’t want to deal with the hard issues because they’re uncomfortable and somebody’s toes will get stepped on. I think there comes a point where you’re going to have to just step on toes. Crush them and move on,” said White.
DeLong echoed this thought. “If something is uncomfortable, step into it boldly. Do not avoid it,” she said. “We, as a generation, and the ones following us are going to have to be creative in finding ways to call attention to change and things that need change. We’re going to have to be creative.”
“If Fred Gray didn’t step into it, where would we be,” asked Monyei. “Where would society be? He lived during a time where the oppressive force of racism was suffocating and killing his people. He had to answer the call because no one else could or would. It needed to happen,” he said.
“I would tell the next generation that if you find a societal issue or subject that sparks your intrinsic need to advocate on its behalf, do it,” said Monyei. “Do it and advocate on its behalf one hundred percent. Don’t stop. Keep on protecting what you believe in and keep going. We need more people in the world like that, people who care. If we can embody that picture, we will be taking a lesson out of Fred Gray’s book.”
For more information on the Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society, click here.