Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2021
Texas Southern University night at the Houston Rockets game was fantastic! Interim President Ken Huewitt was invited to take the first shot. While he didn't make the basket, TSU scored as the University was recognized for its pivotal role during the Civil Rights Era with the TSU Sit-Ins. A video featuring TSU student and Weingarten's Sit-In participant Dr. Halcyon Sadberry Watkins and TSU School of Communication professor Serbino Sandifer-Walker was produced for the occasion.
"To stand on the same platform with one of the Texas Southern University pioneers who helped organized the sit-in movement of the 60s and be recognized for my work as the storyteller was extraordinary," said Sandifer-Walker. "This movement was one of the greatest social justice movements of Houston and American history. It changed everything. It paved the path for a better Houston and a better America. It's a testimony to the courage, determination and grit of the TSU student pioneers who believed a non-violent movement would create a fairer and more just society."
Sandifer-Walker worked for two years to get a Texas Historic Mark placed at the original sit-in location to honor those TSU pioneers. On March 4, 2010, her work came to fruition on the sit-in's 50th anniversary. She said the marker serves as a constant reminder of the powerful role the TSU student pioneers played in creating a more just society for all.
"I stand on their shoulders, and I'm humbled, honored and grateful for the recognition. At last, these laudable pioneers are being celebrated and recognized for being true heroes of American social justice," said Sandifer-Walker.
View the video about the TSU sit-in’s here.
Category: Students, Faculty & Staff, Alumni, News Media