Because We Are
Page 13
Twenty-one
The sky was still heavily overcast that June afternoon as the graduation class of Manning High marched into the stadium under the eyes of their families and friends.
Emma was a bit nervous, filled with mixed feelings: happy to be graduating, but sorry to have had so little time with her new-found friends in Room 202, especially Liz and Carrie.
She sat listening to the praise for her class and was surprised, though pleased, that she, too, was moved by the spirit of the occasion. She knew this praise was too little, too late. She was overwhelmed and could not withhold her joy or her tears when Allan was introduced for his speech: Valedictorian, National Honor Student, National Awards winner, winner of Today’s Music Masters Award, and the University of Southern California’s Music Scholarship Award. He was on his way. She was proud; he was her friend.
The sun broke through as the next speaker was announced: National Honor student, recipient of the National Merit Award, future student of Stanford University … class speaker, Emma Walsh.
Emma winked at Allan, rose, and walked determinedly to the podium. She looked out at the vast, applauding crowd and saw her father and Jody. Her mother was beaming; with her mother were Cheryl and Dee. Down front, smiling, sat Gary.
She felt a sudden rush of love, satisfaction, and confidence as she began her speech: “Where Do We Go From Here?” She moved clearly, deliberately, and forcibly through the words that declared her proud to be a Manning Girl, ready to go from this place into an uncertain world, certain that she now had the desire and the will to help make earth a safer and healthier place for all living things.
About the Author
Mildred Pitts Walter (b. 1922) grew up in Louisiana. She was the first member of her family to attend college, and then became a teacher and a civil rights activist. As a book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times, Walter noticed that there were few books about African Americans, especially for children, and decided to write them herself. She has written over twenty books for children, and has been heralded for her compelling portraits of African American family life. Walter was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award for Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World, and Because We Are and Trouble’s Child were Coretta Scott King Honor Books. She was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1996. Walter now lives in Denver.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
“FAME” by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford © 1980 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. All rights assigned to CBS SONGS, a division of CBS Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.
Copyright © 1983 by Mildred Pitts Walter
Cover design by Connie Gabbert
ISBN: 978-1-5040-2790-8
This edition published in 2016 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
345 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com
EARLY BIRD BOOKS
FRESH EBOOK DEALS, DELIVERED DAILY
BE THE FIRST TO KNOW—
NEW DEALS HATCH EVERY DAY!
EBOOKS BY MILDRED PITTS WALTER
FROM OPEN ROAD MEDIA
Available wherever ebooks are sold
Open Road Integrated Media is a digital publisher and multimedia content company. Open Road creates connections between authors and their audiences by marketing its ebooks through a new proprietary online platform, which uses premium video content and social media.
Videos, Archival Documents, and New Releases
Sign up for the Open Road Media newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign up now at
www.openroadmedia.com/newsletters
FIND OUT MORE AT
WWW.OPENROADMEDIA.COM
FOLLOW US:
@openroadmedia and
Facebook.com/OpenRoadMedia