Liberation through education

Civil rights trailblazer Carlotta Walls LaNier spoke at Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Breakfast on Jan. 13.

LaNier was the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine, the first Black students to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1957, three years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling.

She traces her belief in the value of education to her great-great-grandfather, Hiram Holloway, who in his youth witnessed people being auctioned off for slavery in Florida and Georgia. He later told his story for President Franklin Roosevelt’s Federal Writers’ Project, a Depression-era initiative that included the Slave Narrative Collection.

“He was a well-read person and always stated how important it was to be educated,” said LaNier. “(Education) opens doors of opportunity everyone should have access to.”

LaNier, who has championed educational access throughout her life, delivered the keynote address at the 2023 MLK Peace Breakfast, which was themed “Liberation Through Education: Decolonizing Systems of Power.” The annual event celebrates King’s legacy and honors individuals who keep his spirit alive. This year’s MLK Peace Award winners included laudable community members Allison Cotton, Ph.D.; Miguel Huerta; Gregor Mieder; Dwinita Mosby Tyler, Ph.D.; and Mariana Pascual-Miranda.

Though LaNier faced persistent bigotry during the time of integration, she remained steadfast in her commitment to education — even after her house was bombed in 1960.