An Upper School assembly for Martin Luther King Jr. Day — delayed to January 29 because of inclement weather — also paid tribute to many of the Black pioneers at Charlotte Latin School. In attendance as an honored guest was the school’s first Black faculty member, Claire Gardin. “I pride myself on being myself and doing what’s right,” she said before the program began in Thies Auditorium. “Latin was a great experience — I wouldn’t change anything.”

The program began with a performance of “Glory” (the song by Common and John Legend featured in the 2014 film Selma), sung by the Upper School Choir. The assembly was smoothly conducted by four leaders and members of the Black Student Alliance: Lewawit Alemu ’26, Myles Gathers ’26, Nathan Obeng ’25, and Ethan Worrell ’26. After an overview of King’s life and impact, they turned to the history of Latin, spotlighting various people who broke boundaries at the school over the past 55 years, ranging from Annissia Neal ’84, the first Black graduate, to Nick Ray ’06, the first Black alumnus to enroll a child at Latin.

“Being the first is not just about individual success, but about creating systemic change for future generations,” Myles Gathers said.

Nathan Obeng added, “The individuals we celebrate today were not significant merely because of the color of their skin; their greatness was born from the qualifications they earned, the obstacles they overcame, and the relentless dedication they showed in environments where they were often made to feel they did not belong.”

The centerpiece of the assembly was a filmed interview with Gardin, conducted by Gabby Turner ’26. Gardin, who served as the Middle School Physical Education Teacher, remembered that she sometimes felt isolated as the only Black faculty member, but believed that the experience made her a stronger, better person. “Taking a chance on me opened the doors for all the people who came after me,” she said. In her eyes, MLK Day provides “a chance for people to look back and realize we’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.”