Clifton Middle School celebrated Black History Month with a guest speakers Rev. Dr. Diane Quarles, pastor, Taking Care of Each Other Outreach Ministries; Rev. Stephanie Clark, pastor of the Online Church and former mayor of the city of Covington; and Minister Pamela Marshall, former mayor of the town of Clifton Forge, Tuesday. George “Marty” Wood, Principal, opened the program by welcoming the guest speakers and the CMS Choir who graced the audience with a beautiful rendition of Sisi Ni Moja (Swahili), the English translation is “We Are One”. Quarles was the first speaker up. She shared a story of her experience going to an all-black school, during segregation, and encouraged the students by letting them know that things are
no longer that way and that “we have come a long way. Marshall shared that she was the first African American Female elected to the Clifton Forge
Council, subsequently becoming the first AAF vice mayor and then mayor. Marshall shared her experiences of starting school during integration and not knowing that the races were separate until school friends started visiting each other’s homes. And, she shared a story of a “Hidden
Gem” in our community, Norvel Lee. She closed by encouraging the students. “We all have a story. We Are Black History.” Clark closed out the speakers with a song before sharing her experiences growing up in Covington and becoming the first AAF mayor of the city of Covington. She encouraged the students by saying, “you can be anything you want to be.” The program closed with Tereva Blake, Secretary, presenting gifts to the Black History Trivia Winners: Charley Feazell, 6th grade winner; Dalton Armentrout, 7th grade winner; and Austin Greene, 8th grade winner.
