After students in PREP watched the movie Selma, on February 15, students got a chance to listen to someone who was at the Selma march and even got to shake Martin Luther King’s hand. Who is this remarkable man? 

Harvey Zorbaugh told students and staff his story on how he fought for African-American rights. He joined the Montgomery and Selma march in 1965 and told the audience he felt no danger. He grew up in New York City where he learned about other races and people.

“What motivated me was unfairness for the people I was working with and around,” Zorbaugh said.

When Zorbaugh came to Linganore he expressed nothing but happiness and hope about America’s future. This is a man, who was brave enough to speak out again hateful, discriminatory people, has hope for the future. “I think you guys have an opportunity to do something great in this world” he said. 

Social studies teachers invited Zorbaugh to speak to their students, and the conversations were engaging.  Zorbaugh, who has had several careers, including social studies teachers, said, ““I was a social studies teacher teaching our rights, yet a whole section of our nation didn’t have those rights.”

Throughout the day, Zorbaugh was talkative and funny.  He even fist-pumped some of the students.

The next speaker in the Lancer Lecture Series will be on February 28.  Amelia Draper is a meteorologist for NBC4.

Kelsey Ward