Freedom Breakfast Set For New Date

ATHENS, GA - The eighth annual Freedom Breakfast featuring Mary Frances Early, the University of Georgia’s first African-American graduate, has been rescheduled for Feb. 14 at 7:30 a.m. in the Grand Hall of the Tate Student Center.

A reception honoring Early also has been rescheduled and will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. Feb. 14 in the cafeteria of J.J. Harris Elementary Charter School, 2300 Danielsville Road.

Early will deliver the keynote address for the Freedom Breakfast, which will include the presentation of the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Awards. The awards honor community members who have dedicated their time to advancing the ideals of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The J.J. Harris Elementary School reception, which is open free to the public, is being hosted by UGA’s College of Education and the Institute for African American Studies.

The reception will open with a performance by students of the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the J.J. Harris Elementary School Drum Corps, followed by remarks from UGA Professor of History Robert Pratt entitled “Reflections on Ms. Mary Frances Early.” Early will make brief closing remarks.

Early completed her graduate studies in the College of Education where she earned her master’s degree in music education in 1962. She went on to receive a specialist degree in 1971.

Early taught music, band and chorus for 37 years in Atlanta public schools. She retired in 1994 and became an adjunct music professor at Spelman and Morehouse colleges. She went on to chair the music department at Clark Atlanta University for eight years before retiring again in 2005.

J.J. Harris Elementary Charter School was chosen for the reception because the school is a professional development partnership school with the College of Education.

Held annually in conjunction with the national King holiday in January, the breakfast is sponsored by UGA, the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and the Clarke County School District. This year’s theme is “The Power of the Dream: Celebrating Courage.”

Both events are part of the observance of the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of the University of Georgia.