By Kassondra Granata
According to Professor Stephen Balkaran, CCSU is the only school in the country that doesn’t teach about civil rights in the classroom.
In 2005, Balkaran headed south and spoke with residents who lived in the civil rights era and began to record their stories.
Coming from UConn to CCSU in 2007, he discovered the lack of teaching on the subject. Balkaran decided that instead of bringing the civil rights era to the classroom, he would bring the students to where it all happened.
With the assistance of Dr. Joseph Paige, CCSU Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Balkaran brought 20 students on a week-long journey during the summer of 2010 to relive the civil rights movement in the southern states. He raised $25,000 in grants for the students to go on the trip free of cost.
“It’s beyond the classrooms,” said Balkaran. “We were in the streets studying and reliving the movement. We went to the monuments, went to the actual places and we interviewed real people. It is all very unique and interesting.”
Balkaran believes that the course, “Tracing the Civil Rights Movement” is the course that can really help one relive the movement.
On their trip, Balkaran and his students wrote down the histories of the people who were in the movement, and were able to follow the footsteps of famous figures in the movement, such as Rosa Parks and the ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott.’
The group traveled to Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama visiting Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth house and the location where Rosa Parks was arrested.
He and his students also had the opportunity to meet Martin Luther King Jr.’s son, U.S. Congressman John Lewis.
On Feb. 15, Balkaran’s first book, which he’s been working since 2005, Retracing the Movement: The Photo-biography of the Civil Rights Movement, will be released.
The book is a compilation of stories from the people and figures he’s interviewed on the subject.
“Their stories are so important,” said Balkaran. “We talked to them and it is important that their stories are heard.”
During the summer, Balkaran and his students visited The Carter Center in Atlanta to take a class called “Human Rights in the 21st Century Throughout the World” located in former President Jimmy Carter’s office. Carter later sent a letter to Balkaran praising his effort in his quest to relive the civil rights movement.
On the back cover of Balkaran’s book there is a comment that President Carter made about his book.
“Professor Balkaran,” said Carter. “Rosalynn joins me in congratulating you on your inspiring work with Central Connecticut State University’s Tracing The Civil Rights Movement in 2010. Your inspiring work and important efforts will be an example to students for generations to come.”
After the trip, Balkaran said that he hopes to make the project into an annual course for students at all CSU schools who have an interest in the civil rights movement.
“This is a lifetime experience that will shape everyone’s future,” said Balkaran to the CSUS Universe Magazine. ““It’s good for the university and good for the Connecticut State University System.”