In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, The Hill welcomed author and journalist Farai Chideya on Sunday, January 17, 2010 in the Center For The Arts. The former host of NPR’s “News and Notes” from 2006 to 2009, Ms. Chideya has written three nonfiction books, Trust: Reaching the 100 Million Missing Voters; The Color of Our Future; and Don’t Believe the Hype: Fighting Cultural Misinformation About African Americans. She recently published a novel, Kiss the Sky, which was Essence Magazine’s May 2009 book club selection, and she is the founder of the blog, popandpolitics.com, which has been in existence since 1995. Read more about Ms. Chideya at www.faraichideya.com.

View a slideshow of photos from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day events.

Following Sunday evening’s talk in the CFTA, sixth form students and faculty were invited to a reception with Ms. Chideya. A special “Coffeehouse” was then held in the Student Center where faculty and students showcaseed their poetry, singing, or other artistic talent.

After a special Chapel service on Monday morning, members of The Hill community gathered in the CFTA to watch “The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306.” Told by the Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles and other Civil Rights luminaries, this documentary recounts the days and moments leading up to the assassination of Dr. King. Following the viewing of the film, Hill students and faculty gathered for a panel to reflect on “Where we were then” and “Where we are now.” At the conclusion of the panel discussions, a student service activities fair, “Where do we go from here,” was set up in the CFTA lobby, where students had the opportunity to learn more about service-oriented student clubs at The Hill.

In addition to the events held at Hill, on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 17), the Rev. Dr. John Houghton, Hill’s chaplain, attended Pottstown’s sixth annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at the First Baptist Church. During the service, in which more than 300 people attended, $1,550 was collected to benefit the Pottstown School District to assist lower-income families in purchasing uniforms for their children. The Rev. Houghton announced that The Hill School will match the collection and donate $1,550 from the Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund to a charity involved in providing relief to the residents of Haiti. Read the article  that appeared in the Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 edition of the Pottstown Mercury.