Morgan School Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Press Release: Character Education lesson 1961 Freedom Riders

CAROLINA CHARACTER; a nonprofit character educational service presents ROUTE 1961 to the Morgan School.  Ms. Adrienne Barnette is the School Counselor at the Morgan School, K-12 exceptional needs where she has focused her character educational program and lesson plans surrounding the 1961 Freedom Riders.  ROUTE 1961 is the story of the 1961 Freedom Riders told on motorcycles, specifically from the lenses of two motorcyclists, a school counselor (Ms. Barnette, Charlotte, North Carolina) and a world traveler (Mr. Zachariah Cashion, Los Angeles, California).  ROUTE 1961 is a road of amazing display of character traits by students; students who by far are American heroes and heroines whom faced unbelievable character decisions.

ROUTE 1961 will follow the same route that the 1961 Freedom Riders took, which were patterned after the Journey of Reconciliation; a project by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), in 1947.  What makes this character educational lesson different than most is the tool for education, which Ms. Barnette has strategically chosen to meet her students where they are.  "Being a counselor, it is imperative to meet the students where they are.  My students are drawn to my motorcycle, it engages them every day, they ask questions about it continuously and they're always intrigued by the very essence of the machine.  Meeting my students where they are means using my motorcycle." Ms. Barnette.

ROUTE 1961 will travel 3193.78 miles through Washington, DC, to Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana.  The purpose of CAROLINA CHARACTER, ROUTE 1961 is to educate, celebrate, inspire, and rejuvenate the spirit of determination and motivation within students of today to become active in their search for their own history and become active in the forming of their future and character.

ROUTE 1961 will ultimately depart from Charlotte, North Carolina after a school-wide CAROLINA CHARACTER assembly at the Morgan School. Curriculum and travel plans will be shared so that students can follow-along ROUTE 1961.  Join us in this journey back into time and experience through the navigation of the motorcyclists in a real-time/virtual educational ride along with the Freedom Riders 1961 journey to freedom.

The journey begins Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 2:30pm in the Morgan School gym.  Guest speakers include Ms. Nicole Moore of the Culture and Heritage Museum and Friendship 9 sit-in protestors; Mr. Willie McCleod, Mr. Clarence Graham, and Mr. David Williamson.

Join us as we ride together in celebration of the 50th year anniversary of the 1961 Freedom Riders.  For more information about CAROLINA CHARACTER, ROUTE 1961 and the 1961 Freedom Riders please visit:

MORGAN SCHOOL, K-12 exceptional needs

700 East Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd

Charlotte, NC 28202

Historic Cherry Neighborhood Sponsors Bike Rally to celebrate the Freedom Riders

The Cherry neighborhood is among the oldest surviving black residential areas of Charlotte, North Carolina. Cherry was platted in 1891 by wealthy landowners John and Mary Myers. Check out this link for more information on Historic Cherry Neighborhood 
Click to add Cherry Community on Facebook!

The Cherry Neighborhood is sponsoring ROUTE 1961 Bike Rally; School Counselor, Adrienne Barnette and world traveler, Mr. Zachariah Cashion. 

This Bike Rally is to celebrate the 1961 Freedom Rides and Riders!

Freedom Rider Assembly at the Morgan School

April 13, 2011 at 2:30pm the Morgan School will celebrate the 1961 Freedom Rides and board the journey of ROUTE 1961 through the lenses of their School Counselor, Ms. Barnette and World Traveler, Mr. Cashion.

During the assembly; winners of the Freedom Rider Poster Contest and Freedom Riders Music Idol will be announced.

Freedom Rider Poster Contest:

Throughout the semester, the students have been working on student Poster contest on the 1961 Freedom Rides.  Elementary and Middle School art students have designed Freedom Rider posters to express their feelings and knowledge about the Freedom Riders. The High School students have designed a mural at the school to express their feelings and knowledge.

Freedom Rider Music Idol:
The music students have also been working on musical expression of the Freedom Rides.  The music of the 1961 Freedom Rides were as significant as the Jail no Bail that occurred throughout the ROUTE when the Riders meet opposition. The music of the movement not only motivated the Freedom Riders, but strategically impacted the outcome of the Ride.

Special Guest for the day include;

Ms. Nicole Moore: Cultural Heritage Museum

Mr. Willie McCleod: Friendship 9 Sit-in Protestor

Mr. Clarence Graham: Friendship 9 Sit-in Protestor

Mr. David Williamson: Friendship 9 Sit-in Protestor

During the assembly students will also have an opportunity to take pictures, try on equipment of the motorcyclist of ROUTE 1961 as they get ready to board the virtual educational ride.

Stay tuned... this is going to be a wonderful educational day at the Morgan School.