GHANA SESSION WITH DR. CLARENCE B. JONES, PERSONAL COUNSEL AND FRIEND TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Joining Project Ghana for a session was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s personal counsel and friend Dr. Clarence B. Jones.

When I began Project Ghana back in 2015, I wanted to bring everything to video conferencing with my students and the students in Ghana. For instance, during these video conferences students shared educational lessons, culture, hobbies, history, and guests. Project Ghana gained a lot of popularity when many sessions were posted on Oiada International website and Unheard and Jersey Voices Magazine.  Because of this, Project Ghana was picked over thousands of entries to be put on the educational television show Classroom Close-up. When that happened, I thought Project Ghana would not be able to go any higher. However, on April 12, 2022, Project Ghana had no limits.

Joining Project Ghana for a session was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s personal counsel and friend Dr. Clarence B. Jones. What made this session so amazing was that Clarence B. Jones was on Classroom Close-up. This session brought two shows of Classroom Close-up together.

Photo By U.S. Mission Geneva / Eric Bridiers

Joining this session was Eric Jones, CEO of Oiada International, Oiada’s Student Ambassadors, Papa Williams (head teacher for the Solid Rock Foundation School in Ghana), VFW Veterans Wilbur V. Martin, served in Vietnam, and Veronica Miller, served in Desert Storm and the War in Iraq, Keith and Chenelle Covin of Unheard Voices Magazine, and Mr. David Wronko’s Asbury Park High School Students, Amy Contreras-Contreras, Sarayia Gadson, Ceahni Piper, Jaded Velasquez, and Sha’Niyah Williams.

This session began with Eric Jones and David Wronko welcoming Dr. Clarence B. Jones. Dr. Jones was honored to participate. From there the Oiada Student Ambassadors gave an amazing presentation about the continent of Africa, Ghana’s history, culture, sports, geography, politics, and various food dishes. Dr. Jones expressed how wonderful and colorful the presentation was and shared how he would like to travel to Ghana. He also brought about how Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife went to Ghana to celebrate a ceremony for Ghana’s independence which helped to widen Dr. King’s cause for civil rights in the United States.

After Oiada Student Ambassadors presentation, Dr. Jones shared a narrative about his incredible life. His narrative covered his life growing up, becoming an attorney, and his involvement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Jones shared with his big audience that he played a role in helping Dr. King develop his “I Have a Dream” speech.  Once he was finished with his narrative, he took many questions starting with Mr. Wronko’s students, Jaded Velasquez and Sarayia Gadson.  They asked him about the challenges that he faced in his life and how he handled them.

Dr. Jones meets Ghana from Darryl Batts on Vimeo.

After their questions, VFW Veterans, Veronica Miller and Wilbur V. Martin had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Jones as well as Dr. Jones had the pleasure with speaking with the two VFW veterans. It was amazing seeing all sorts of history come together. For instance, Veronica Miller shared with Dr. Jones her service in Desert Storm and the War in Iraq, and Wilbur V. Martin shared the same time frame as Dr. Jones both belonging to the Civil Rights and Vietnam era.

After consulting with the veterans, Papa Williams and Keith Covin shared what an honor it was in meeting Dr. Jones and expressed their appreciation that he was able to take time out and join this Ghana session.