SC West middle schoolers learn from civil rights activist - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

SC West middle schoolers learn from civil rights activist

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By Jacob Peklo, Multimedia Journalist - email
Joanne Bland spoke to students at West Middle School about civil rights activism in the 1960s. Joanne Bland spoke to students at West Middle School about civil rights activism in the 1960s.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -

Many middle school students might think they're too young to make a big difference.

But Thursday, they learned from a civil rights activist, who took a stand for what she believed in at a very young age.

West Middle students packed the gym to hear Joanne Bland, talk about attending her first civil rights rally as an eight-year-old in the 1960's.

She witnessed several key events, including Bloody Sunday and Turn Around Tuesday.  Bland even went to jail, when she was 11 years old, because she took part in the demonstrations.

Her message was about having a voice, even at an early age.  She says several students stuck around afterwards to thank her for sharing her story.

"When we found out that we could affect change, we wanted to be a part of that. And most movements are by women and children, and I don't foresee that changing any time in our lifetimes," said Joanne Bland, a civil rights activist in the 1960s.

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