Tuskegee News

November 5, 2009

Guy Rhodes

“The civil rights battle of the 21st Century is education,” Gingrich pointed out. “Every child from every background should have the opportunity to compete. Every state should adopt a law establishing charter schools so that parents can choose schools where their children can get a quality education.”
 
Gingrich spoke about Fred Gray, civil rights attorney from Tuskegee who handled legal action for Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the mid-1950s.
 
“Fred Gray represents two generations of struggle that have had a lasting effect on things that would not have changed,” Gingrich said. “Kids today have no sense of that. They say ‘tell my why I want to study.’ Greg Calhoun is a perfect example why.”
 
Calhoun started out bagging groceries and is now the most successful owner of black grocery stores in the country.
 
“You’ve got to take that first step. You’ve got to learn, find a job and have a dream. Greg Calhoun saw bagging groceries as the first step on the ladder.”

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