Sir John Speaks About Historic US School
Former Bermuda Premier Sir John is among the notable alumni interviewed in a forthcoming documentary on the history of his trailblazing American preparatory school.
Laurinburg Institute is a traditionally black prep school in Laurinburg, North Carolina. The school was founded in 1904 at the request of African-American educator and politician Booker T. Washington.
Christopher Everett, a Laurinburg native, will release “The Laurinburg Institute, Est. 1904” next month.
Mr. Everett interviewed a number of the school’s alumni, including Sor John — a member of the Laurinburg Institute’s class of 1955 — and Donald Maggin, author of the acclaimed biography “Dizzy: The Life & Times of John Birks Gillespie”.
Clip from the documentary, The Laurinburg Institute, Est. 1904″ featuring Sir John Swan
“It’s mostly interviews and archival footage as well as present-day footage about why the school was started and who was involved,” Mr. Everett told a North Carolina newspaper this week.
Mr. Everett said he was motivated by the Laurinburg Institute’s rich history and cultural significance.
“In 1904 there really weren’t a lot of education opportunities for African Americans past the third or fourth grade,” said Everett. “A few of the black landowners here wrote to Booker T. Washington at the Tuskegee Institute.”
“A lot of people didn’t want to start schools in the south because of all the racism. Emmanuel and Tiny McDuffie from Snow Hill in Alabama founded the school using the same principles as Booker T. Washington, using skills and trades to build up the school and teaching pride and self-reliance.”
As it was a product of a culture of repression and segregation, Everett said, the Laurinburg Institute’s mission was all the more remarkable.
“It was the first place to give African-Americans in this area a chance at the American dream,” said Everett.
The film will premiere via its Facebook page during the last week of November. After that, Mr. Everett will begin submitting the documentary to various film festivals.
