On August 19, students enjoyed meeting and talking with Bakari Sellers in a virtual Town Hall forum. He spoke with students about his powerful autobiography, My Vanishing Country, which was released a few months ago. Sellers last visited USL when he was running for Lt. Governor, and he is a steadfast friend of the school. He has helped us secure speakers and make connections for LOTCs (Learning Outside the Classroom field trips) and individual experiences for our students. Sellers’ father, Cleveland Sellers, was a civil rights activist, professor, and college president and is most known for his connection to the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre at S.C. State University. He was wounded and jailed for demonstrating with students.
This presentation was part of our annual Fall exploration of government and elections and culminates in our exit polling project on Election Day. Students also heard from candidates from various political parties, political scientists, and others. Talking with them enables our students to form their own opinions based on research and first-hand experience – key concepts in developing students who will think critically for themselves.
From Mr. Seller’s author biography: “Bakari Sellers made history in 2006 when, at just twenty-two years old, he defeated an incumbent State Representative to become the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the nation. In 2014 he was the Democratic Nominee for Lieutenant Governor in the state of South Carolina. Sellers is a CNN political analyst and served in the South Carolina state legislature. He is also a practicing attorney with the Strom Law Firm.” [x]
To learn more about Mr. Sellers and his work, visit his website at: https://bakarisellers.com/
