Building Local Community Through Arts, Cultural, and Recreational Events, and the Exchange of Goods and Services
The Luther College Book Shop is turning 85 years old this April and is celebrating with a sale! From April 15th through 23rd all polos, shorts, and select t-shirts will be buy one, get one half off! This deal will be valid in-store and online. PLUS, visit our store on Friday, April 21st for an all-day Birthday Party! Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for upcoming information.
Luther College is hosting and co-hosting a series of events during Climate Justice Week, April 17–22, 2023.
“Climate Justice Week is an exciting time at Luther because there are opportunities to learn more about sustainability issues and get involved in various ways,” said Jon Jensen, director of the Center for Sustainable Communities. “From speakers like Sarah Jaquette Ray to a community Earth Day Festival, it’s a week of activities to inform, inspire and celebrate the many facets of sustainability at Luther and in greater Winneshiek County.”
The following events are free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, April 18, at 5:30 p.m. Sarah Jaquette Ray will present “Climate Justice and the Politics of Emotions” in Valders Hall of Science, room 206. Ray is chair of the Environmental Studies Department at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California. Additionally, she is the author of “The Ecological Other: Environmental Exclusion in American Culture” and “A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet.” Ray’s writing on emotions and climate justice activism has been published in the LA Times, Scientific American, and The Cairo Review of Global Affairs to name a few. She is certified as a mindfulness teacher and delivers workshops for professionals on centering emotions in climate advocacy. Sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) and the Center for Sustainable Communities, Ray will discuss the relationship between climate change, justice and the role of emotions in bringing about political change.
“Folks who attend Sarah’s talk will definitely feel seen by her when it comes to how climate change shapes them and they’ll leave with exciting paths to coping and being physically and politically active,” said Andy Hageman, director of the CEPE.
On Thursday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. Luther College and Impact Coffee are partnering to offer a climate justice and earth themed Trivia at Impact.
On Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Luther College Center for Sustainable Communities is partnering with Winneshiek County Conservation and other community organizations to put on an Earth Day Festival in the Community Building at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds. All are welcome to take part in earth-friendly activities and experience educational exhibits. From seed planting to electrical vehicle displays and solar presentations, there is something for everyone. Other organizations partnering on this event include Iowa State University Extension, Winneshiek Energy District, Oneota Community Co-op and ArtHaus. For more information visit winneshiekwild.com/events/earth-day-festival-2023.
In addition, a special Earth Week Art Gallery exhibit will be on display in Luther’s Center for the Arts from April 20 to 27.
About Luther College
At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
Luther College students are organizing a cycling fundraiser with all proceeds going to the Decorah Free Clinic (DFC). DECORIDE will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 6, on the Trout Run Trail in Decorah.
The DFC serves underinsured or uninsured patients who do not have access to professional health services, mainly because of cost. The patients in the clinic may have minor injuries or illnesses that need to be acutely attended to, or they may have chronic diseases that need long term follow up care.
Souk Sengsaisouk is a senior nursing major at Luther who volunteered at the clinic and now works as their interim director. He is one of the main organizers of DECORIDE because he sees the impact of the DFC first-hand and wants to raise awareness and provide some financial support.
“Working closely with patients at the DFC allows me to gain insights about their primary health care needs. Having the DFC is a strength of our community as it ensures health care needs are met at both the individual and community level,” said Sengsaisouk.
“The impact of the DFC is both for its patients and the individuals who serve at the clinic,” said Angela Kueny, Luther College nursing professor and volunteer nurse at the DFC. “It is the mark of a committed community to meet the health needs of all of its members, across all backgrounds and abilities to pay. Not only that, the DFC contributes to the health of the overall community. With fewer individuals struggling with disease or injury, communities thrive with productive members who can continue working and preventing the spread of disease.”
Check-in begins at Will Baker Park at 9 a.m. with the ride starting at 10 a.m. At noon, Pulpit Rock Brewing will welcome participants to enjoy a cash bar and music provided by Driftless Jazz, a popular Luther College band.
Registration is open now and anyone can participate. Visit linktr.ee/DECORIDE to register and learn more. Apparel is also available to purchase through April 17 with 10% of the proceeds going to the DFC.
This event is sponsored by Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, Donlon Pharmacy, Decorah Bicycles, Deco Products, Fareway, Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, Decorah Parks and Recreation, and the Luther College Center for Sustainable Communities.
About Luther College
At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
Luther College senior Hayley Carr ’23 is getting a jump start on her career by developing classroom lesson plans while still in college. Carr is studying biology and secondary education with the goal of teaching middle school students about her passions.
“I’ve always been so interested in the outdoors and how the world around us works, you know, like the dirt under our feet. What’s going on in there? What’s in our sky? I have always been really interested in how things work and I think biology and teaching as a whole is really going to help me share those passions with other people,” said Carr.
This January Term (J-Term) at Luther College, Carr collaborated with Beth Lynch, associate professor of biology, to dive into three topics in ecology. They created ecology modules or lesson plans focused on specific subjects including subnivium (rare under-snow ecosystems), fire use and suppression in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and rare ecosystems found in the Driftless such as algific talus slopes and water ecology and quality.
“I spent about a week on each of these topics, diving into the literature, creating a middle school-level reading that could be presented in class, narrated using a flipped classroom approach, or used otherwise. To go along with that, I matched Next Generation Science Standards to each of the topics, then designed and compiled hands-on labs and activities I could use to supplement these lessons. I feel it is so important for students to learn by doing, and the labs, activities and demonstrations I picked to accompany my lessons reflect this,” said Carr.
Now, Carr is equipped with her first lesson plans as she moves into life after college, providing her with a little comfort.
During my student teaching experience, it kind of all hit me at once like, oh my gosh, next year I’m going to have my own classroom and I will have to develop my own lessons. So I’m like, okay, why don’t I start before I’m actually in the classroom? What I created are really high quality lessons and activities that are ready for me to use. I basically just have to print it out, get the materials and we’re ready to go.
Hayley Carr ’23
“During my student teaching experience, it kind of all hit me at once like, oh my gosh, next year I’m going to have my own classroom and I will have to develop my own lessons. So I’m like, okay, why don’t I start before I’m actually in the classroom? What I created are really high quality lessons and activities that are ready for me to use. I basically just have to print it out, get the materials and we’re ready to go,” said Carr.
As Carr moves into the future with her ecology modules, she says this is just one example of how her Luther experience prepared her for the real world.
“I’ve had some really, really great professors that have taught me so much. Combining the knowledge I’ve gained from my biology classes with what I’ve learned in my education classes about classroom management, how to plan lessons, and how to make things engaging for students will be greatly beneficial. I’ve had really great opportunities to learn a lot from my biology professors and my advisor, Dr. Eric Baack. I would also like to credit Dr. Beth Lynch for her willingness to work with me on this project, as well as Dr. Jill Leet-Otley, an education professor who has encouraged me to become a compassionate, curious and knowledgeable educator.“
J-Term at Luther College
January term or J-Term at Luther College is a unique time in Luther’s academic year when students are able to explore different interests, focus their studies or try new experiences. Students have the time and space to take a seminar, study abroad, get an internship or even prepare for their future.
About Luther College
At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
Last week students in grades three through six had the opportunity to meet Erin Soderberg Downing, author of over fifty books. The students enjoyed her engaging presentation: learning about how she became an author, where she gets ideas for her stories, and what “ingredients” she adds to make them more interesting.
Each student in third and fourth grade received a signed book, and each fifth and sixth grader received Controlled Burn or When Life Gives You Lemons, all paid for by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation. The foundation and the Decorah FEC–Family, Educator, and Community organization–also provided funding for the author’s visit.
Kate Rattenborg Scott, owner of Dragonfly books, started the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation as a way to fund authors’ visits. She remarked, “It warmed my heart to see students’ excitement in receiving their own copy of one of Erin Soderberg Downing books. One goal in starting the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation was to be able to bring authors into the northeast Iowa schools, and it was thrilling to have it happen and to see it so well received.”
Erin Soderberg Downing shared, “Visiting schools to talk about writing is one of the highlights of my job as a children’s book author…but I can honestly say that the time I spent with students and teachers in Decorah, Cresco, Postville, and Ossian was one of the highlights of my author visit career. Thanks to the generosity of the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, I knew every kid would get to take home one of my books to read after hearing some behind-the-scenes stories about how I put that book together – and that extra level of connection with literacy is something truly special. What a wonderful way to strengthen the kids’ excitement for books and reading!”
A group of middle school students visited Dragonfly Books to deliver thank you notes to the foundation via Kate Rattenborg Scott. Harper Novak said, “It was really fun to visit the bookstore; it feels really magical inside.” Hanna Lensch added, “I’d want to go to Dragonfly Books anytime, any day. It’s so fun to be in there.”
After the author’s visit, one 4th grade teacher shared with Michaela Seeman, teacher librarian at Carrie Lee Elementary, “Thank you so much for introducing her books and her delightful author ‘personality’ to us! The kids are really enjoying the books. The characters and use of figurative language are refreshing additions to our literature collections.”
“I was awkwardly laughing out loud at some of the things she said,” remarked a 3rd grade teacher. “She was an absolute hoot! Her message(s) about being a writer resonated with many students, I’m sure. For being her eighth group in two days, you would’ve guessed we were her first. How awesome that each student received a signed copy of a book they chose.”
Another 3rd grade teacher commented, “Thank you to everyone who was involved in making the arrangements for Erin to come here, as well as for making it possible for every student (and classroom teacher) to receive a book! Erin’s presentation/visit today was absolutely wonderful! She was engaging, inspiring, authentic, and funny! I briefly got a chance at dismissal to discuss with my students how they felt about her visit, and it was all very positive. In all my years of teaching and author visits, Erin Soderberg Downing has been my favorite! What a great opportunity for our students/staff to have!”
Shannon Horton, DMS teacher librarian shared, “Author visits are really meaningful to our students, but they can be hard to make happen in rural locations with limited budgets. To have help with the logistics and funding from the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation is such a game changer for our community.”
More information about Erin Soderberg Downing can be found at https://www.erinsoderberg.com/.
It is on to state for two Envirothon teams from Decorah High School following statewide regional competition. Decorah’s Team Skabush–Justin Berlage, Peter Essa, Nathaniel Myers, Nathan Swarbrick and Henry Weis–finished tied for second, six points behind the top scoring team from Muscatine. Team DNR finished alone in third place, just one point shy of second place. DNR members include Lucas Arendt, Connor Evelsizer, Gabriel Hiner, Anders Lovstuen, and Aidan Nalean-Carlson. By finishing in the top 15, these two teams have earned the right to compete at the state contest to be held on April 24that the Jester Park Nature Center near Granger, Iowa.
Envirothon challenges students to hone critical thinking skills and create inventive solutions to the complex local and global environmental and natural resource issues facing our world today, whether in the field or in the classroom. Five member teams test their knowledge and critical thinking skills to conduct hands-on investigations, solve real-life scenarios, and answer written questions covering five categories: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and a Current Environmental Issue.
The team who finishes first on April 24th will represent Iowa at the international contest to be held July 23-29, 2023, at Mount Allison University located in Tantramar, New Brunswick, Canada.
Seventy Decorah High School students participated in the regional contest, establishing a new state record for the number of Envirothon participants from one school. This group broke the previous record of 50 students set by Decorah in 2022.
Six Decorah teams finished in the top 15 of the 53 competing teams from across Iowa after the regional contests. However, only the two top finishing teams from the same school are allowed to move on to state competition because of the “Decorah Rule,” which has been in effect since 2007 after Decorah qualified four teams for that year’s state competition. Until that time, no school had ever qualified more than one team in the top 15 teams.
The other teams who finished in the top 15 but will not be able to represent Decorah because of the “Decorah Rule” are listed below.
Team Poisonous Platypodes–Hannah Arendt, Lily Sandhorst, Sylvia Sandhorst, Amelia Wadsworth, and Margret Zook–finished tied for sixth place, three points out of third.
Teams Leaf Me A-loam and Team Swamp Donkeys finished tied for 10th place. Team Leaf Me A-loam members are Phuong Doan, Mason Myers, Kellen Roffman, Elias Sassaman, and Jerald Thompson. Team Swamp Donkeys members are Sophia Christman, Ella Grouws, Grace Neal, Thea Schissel, and Annalise Skrade.
Team Langers–Lange Betts, Eric Hjelle, Benson Newhouse, Ethan Stravers, and Max Wilson– finished in 15th place. Team Eco for Deco finished in 16th place, just one point behind 15th. Team members are Natalie Goodner, William Hahn, Reid Kuehner, Andrew Olson, and Klaara Short.
The teams listed below gave it their best but did not finish as one of the top 15 teams.
Teams Original Eco for Deco and Shockwave Monkiezz finished just one point behind Eco for Deco. Team Original Eco for Deco are Leslie Campbell, Britann Mettille, Beau Newhouse, Hannah Schnitzler, and Chloe Sheffield. Team Shockwave Monkiezz members are Annaleissa Arnold, Caden Branum, Jensen Korsness, Libby Phillips, and Brynn Storhoff.
Team Spooky Ducks members are Evynne Downing, Andie Gegax, Ellen Rooney, Mairi Sessions, and Rorie Wiedow.
Team Mitochondria members are Riley Berns, Alex McGohan, Clara Hjelle, and Anastasia Simon.
Team Oh Canada members are Mara Branum, Elsa Christman, Mikayla Hiner, Nora Lesmeister, and Kaylie Wemark.
Team Slaying Salamanders members are Grace Blikre, Annika Keefe, Kamryn Steines, Ivy Sullivan, and Kera Walter.
Team Green Goblins members are Marri Feuerhelm, Raleigh Lensing, Will Robinson, and Alina Tallier.
Iowa’s Envirothon program is sponsored by the Conservation Districts of Iowa. The Envirothon program in Decorah is generously supported by the Winneshiek County Conservation Board and director Barb Schroeder, who adjusts work schedules to free up County Conservation employees Maggie Schwarz and John Kraus. Both Schwarz and Kraus were on Decorah teams who made it to the state Envirothon contest while in high school.
Envirothon adviser Larry Berland remarked, “Barb, Maggie, and John are vital cogs in our local Envirothon program success. They really enjoy sharing their stories as well as their environmental expertise at study sessions and outdoor activities. A huge thank you also goes out to the administrators and teachers at all levels in the district who have helped fuel the students’ desire to be involved in so many activities. Many teachers encouraged students to join the Envirothon program, and its outstanding success is directly proportional to their efforts.”
Berland continued, “With the exception of the ‘Decorah Rule,’ the Envirothon program is an exceedingly sound way to prime the interest of tomorrow’s necessary environmental experts. People say that sometimes things just work out for the best. I must say that my being involved with the Envirothon program proves that saying to be true. I have to be one of the luckiest guys around. On a regular basis, I enjoy the opportunity to meet with 70 awesome individuals who show up for Envirothon study sessions and outdoor adventures. These Decorah students’ concern and awareness of their natural environment is as much a part of their being as rommegrot and lefse are at Nordic Fest. They are destined to make a positive, we got your back, difference.”
The Decorah High School Music Department participated in the Iowa High School Music Association State Solo and Small Ensemble Music Festival on Saturday, March 25 at Charles City High School. Other schools participating were Charles City H.S., Clear Lake H.S., Crestwood H.S., Forest City H.S., Hampton-Dumont H.S., and Waverly-Shell Rock H.S.
This is an adjudicated festival in which students receive one of five division ratings for their performance: Division I “Superior” rating, Division II “Excellent” rating, Division III “Good” rating, Division IV “Fair” rating, or Division V “Poor” rating. The ratings are based on a point scale.
It was a successful day for the DHS Music Department. Each judge is allowed to present one “Outstanding Performance” award for the performance they deem to be the most superior of the day. There were nine judges overall in the vocal, orchestra, and band categories, and three of them awarded this honor to DHS musicians. Receiving “Outstanding Performance” awards were Gabriel Hiner, vocal solo;Elias Vorvick, Trombone solo; and String Bass Duet: Sally Laybourn and Ezra Vorvick.
Receiving a Perfect Score were Elias Vorvick, Trombone; Mairi Sessions, Tuba; Alex McGohan, Marimba Solo, Timpani Solo, and Vibraphone Solo; Aidan Nalean-Carlson, Marimba Solo; Mallet Duet: Alex McGohan and Aidan Nalean-Carlson; Percussion Choir March of the Emperor;Connor Evelsizer, vocal solo; Madrigal Singers; and String bass Duet: Sally Laybourn and Ezra Vorvick.
Students were accompanied on piano by Dean Beckman, Mary Beth Bouska, Cathy Evelsizer, Chris Hadley, Miko Kominami, Linda Martin, Kayla Scholl and Nicholas Shaneyfelt.
Division I – Superior Ratings:
Solos (total: 53)
Flute: Mikayla Hiner; Clarinet: Rebecca Anderson; Alto Saxophone: Brenna Parker; Tenor Saxophone: Grant Zilka; Baritone Saxophone: Grant Zilka; Trombone: Elias Vorvick, Lucas Hanson; Tuba: Mairi Sessions; Timpani: Caden Branum, Alex McGohan, Aidan Nalean-Carlson, Michael Njus; Mallets: Natalie Goodner, Alex McGohan (Marimba), Alex McGohan (Vibraphone), Aidan Nalean-Carlson; Mixed Percussion: Beau Newhouse, Jerald Thompson;Piano: Natalie Goodner, Gabriel Hiner, Mikayla Hiner;Violin: Ella Grouws, Gabriel Hiner, Hope Stahl, Brock Taylor; Viola: Cedrik Beiwel, Ethan Stravers; Cello: Simon Kutz; Soprano: June Breitenbach-Dirks, Leslie Campbell, Mikayla Hiner, Kealy Hines, Sydney Kipp, Ada Lovelace, Brynn Storhoff, Gwen Thompson, Margret Zook; Alto: Jenna Hartz, Alex Kane, Sally Laybourn, Haley Stowe; Tenor: Connor Evelsizer, Andy Kruger, Michael Njus, Libby Phillips, Gareth Sweet; and Bass: Oliver Brummel, Gabriel Hiner, Jake Magner, Jack Sovern, Elias Vorvick, Ezra Vorvick, Max Wilson.
Ensembles (total: 31)
Woodwind Choir; Clarinet Choir; Saxophone Choir;Tuba Duet: Eli Vorvick & Sessions; Percussion Choir March of the Emperor; Percussion Choir Glitzville; Mallet Duet: McGohan & A. Nalean-Carlson; Percussion Quintet (Albert, Harman-Wood, Hougen, R. Kane, & B. Newhouse); String Duet: Laybourn & Ezra Vorvick; Kutz & Beiwel; Thompson & G. Hiner; Grouws & E. Stravers; Old English Airs Chamber Orchestra; Vocal Duet: Phillips & Grouws; Njus & D. Skrade; Njus & M. Wilson; Madrigal Singers; CC Chamber Singers; CC Chamber Choir; VC Chamber Choir; 9th Gr. Treble Clef 7 (Breitenbach-Dirks, M. Hiner, E. Christman, Klara Kelly, Albert, Pedlar, Wemark); 9th Gr. Bass Clef 9 (Duder, Malanaphy, Stemper, J. LaBelle, McElree, Mercado-Arneson, Harman-Wood, C. Johnson, Sassaman); VC Treble Clef 9 (Downing, Sheffield, G. Thompson, Brodbeck, Hines, A. Northup, L. Suhr, E. Johnson, Wadsworth); VC Bass Clef 11 (Hammel, Kruger, Beau Newhouse, Coppola, L. Hook, Krieg, Brummel, Chamberlain, J. Thompson, Sovern, Ezra Vorvick); CC Bass Clef 8 (L. Hanson, C. Kowitz, Njus, A. Jones, Eli Vorvick, A. Walter, Weis, M. Wilson); CC Bass Clef 7 (Evelsizer, Phillips, Sweet, G. Hiner, Magner, D. Skrade, Stammeyer); Senior Bass Clef Quartet (Njus, Sweet, Magner, M. Wilson); Senior Bass Clef Trio (Njus, Eli Vorvick, M. Wilson); CC Treble Clef 12 (E. Hook, Kipp, Storhoff, Lovelace, S. Sandhorst, A. Skrade, Grouws, A. Kane, Laybourn, Hartz, Stahl, R. Wiedow); CC Treble Clef 12 (Bruening, Campbell, Kipp, R. Suhr, S. Christman, Hageman, B. Hanson, Schwarz, Pritchard, Redenius, Stowe, Valkosky); and Mixed Trio (M. Hiner, G. Thompson, G. Hiner).
Division II – Excellent Ratings:
Solos (total: 33)
Flute: Amelia Pankow; Oboe: Ansel Kowitz; Trumpet: Aitor Cuevas; Mallet: Kealy Hines; Mixed Percussion: Liam Chamberlain, Jameson LaBelle; Piano: Gwenyth Thompson, Sylvia Sandhorst;Violin: Elsa Johnson Lydia Monreal, Sylvia Sandhorst, Haylee Stravers, Gwenyth Thompson, Kinsey White, Ramsey Zilka; Viola: Luke Arendt; Cello: Ada Lovelace; String Bass: Ezra Vorvick; Soprano: Elayna Hook, Greta Jones, Stella Pole; Alto: Ari Albert, Grace Blikre, Elliana Brodbeck, Ella Grouws, Bethany Hanson, Elsa Johnson; Tenor: Davis Coppola, Lucas Hanson; Bass: Liam Chamberlain, Ezra Harman-Wood, Caleb Johnson, Daniel Skrade.
Ensembles (total: 13)
Brass Choir; Flute Choir; Saxophone Duet: Breitenbach-Dirks & Christman; String Duet: E. Stravers & C. Kowitz, L. Jensen & Monreal, E. Stravers & A. Skrade, Gegax & Sassaman; String Quartet: (Grouws, S. Christman, E. Stravers & Lovelace), (S. Sandhorst, Kate Kelly, Woosley & Campbell); String Trio (Stahl, R. Zilka & Rix); Shenandoah Chamber Orchestra; 9th Grade Chamber Choir; VC Treble Clef 9 (B. Bentley, G. Jones, R. Kane, Goodner, Keefe, Zook, Bakken, Blikre, Steines).
Four Decorah Home School Assistance Program students participated in the National History Day district competition at NICC in Calmar on March 22. Two of these students’ projects qualified for the National History Day state competition in Des Moines on April 24th.
This year’s theme is Frontiers in History: People, Places, and Ideas. State qualifiers and their projects include Eva Kriemelmeyer for her individual performance titled Marie Curie: Frontiers in Radiation and Ruth Kueny for her performance Elizebeth Friedman: Crossing New Frontiers in Coding. Also participating in the district competition were Noah Kriemelmeyer with an exhibit titled Claude Monet: Crossing Frontiers in Visual Art and Lucas Fankhauser with a documentary “All Safe, Ladies and Gentlemen, All Safe”: Elisha Otis and the Invention of the Safety Brake.
Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune. Phoebe Ferguson (L) and Keith Plessy (R)
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, Luther College will host Phoebe Ferguson and Keith Plessy, descendants of the 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson landmark decision, for a conversation with President Jenifer K. Ward in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.
Homer Plessy, an African American from New Orleans, was detained in 1892 on suspicion of breaking Louisiana’s Separate Car Act of 1890, which required separate accommodations for white and Black railroad passengers. The higher court supported Judge John Ferguson’s decision that Mr. Plessy had broken Louisiana’s Separate Car Act and that his constitutional rights had not been infringed. During the ensuing 58 years, the decision upheld Jim Crow’s “separate but equal” rules.
On January 5, 2022, John Bel Edwards, governor of Louisiana, pardoned Homer Plessy.
Presently, Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson formed the Plessy AND Ferguson Foundation rather than Plessy VERSUS Ferguson. Together, they travel to elementary through secondary schools as well as academic or historical organizations to convey the idea of using one another’s histories to foster peace and mutual comprehension. Their goal is to inform the public about the legacy of the Plessy ruling, its effects on African American life, and to serve as an example of how to successfully find common ground.
“I think it’s our responsibility, that’s how we look at it,” Ferguson said. “We want people to understand what legacy is, and not to wait until the end of your life to understand legacy, but to understand legacy at an early age.”
The discussion with President Ward will cover a variety of topics, such as how Plessy and Ferguson came to share a cause, their activism philosophies and tactics, and their viewpoints on how the U.S. The Supreme Court affects everyone.
This event is sponsored by the President’s Office and organized by The Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (The CEPE).
About Luther College
At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
April is full of musical performances at Luther College.
From Minnesota to Wisconsin and back in Iowa, once again Luther College music groups performed for hundreds on the road. The public is invited to welcome them home by attending the following tour homecoming concerts with no charge for admission. The following events will take place in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life:
Livestreams are available on the Luther College Music Department Youtube channel and on each event listing at luther.edu/events. To view all upcoming music showcases visit luther.edu/events/category/music.
About Luther College Music
Luther is home to one of the largest undergraduate music programs in the nation, with five choirs, three orchestras, two bands and two jazz bands. One-third of all Luther students participate in music, including large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. Nearly 175 music majors study music theory, ear training, history, education, composition, jazz, church music and performance. Learn more at luther.edu/music.