Known by his more informal name, “Freedom Smitty”, Kenneth Salaam took to the podium on Monday, Feb. 9, to speak to students and faculty at The Mount about his life and hopes for the future. In addition to working and protesting alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Salaam was instrumental in the desegregation of Girard College in Philadelphia and continues to advocate for social justice. 

His spirit and passion to educate and inspire the youth arrived in full when visiting the Mount community. He shared his experiences advocating for civil rights and voting rights in Philadelphia and throughout the South. 

“You have been blessed,” Salaam told students. “To live in an era where women will eventually dominate leadership in the world. That’s a good thing.”

Salaam talked about being the change we want to see in our world. His message emphasized taking action while we are young and “still have the time and energy.”

Executive Director of Mission and Inclusion and a Mount alumna, Ms. Nikki West ‘87, played a key role in planning and orchestrating this presentation. Her role at the Mount, she said, is “to make sure that everything we do is centered on our mission… to serve the dear neighbor” and added that her biggest hope is “that every student who attends the Mount knows that they are someone who belongs.”

However, the event wouldn’t have been possible without Mount senior Gabby McCall ‘26, who proposed the idea, explaining that she had a close family member, her cousin, who was involved in the civil rights movement. 

“She thought maybe I would be interested in hearing what he had to say, and I practically jumped out of my chair” West said enthusiastically when recounting the planning process. “​​I was so excited just to have someone who not only walked during the civil rights movement with Dr. King., because that was huge, but also to do that locally I think was really significant.”

As a teenager, Salaam’s activism extended much further than protest signs. He stood firm opposing Ku Klux Klan rallies, organized food caravans, and even endured tear gas with Dr. King himself.

“I think that I have to think about when I’m afraid to stand up for myself, how he, at 14 years old, younger than I am, stood up for himself and for other children like him who wanted to get an education. And look at the fact that education is so important and people have fought for me to have rights that I feel like I sometimes neglect and don’t fully appreciate.” McCall ‘26 said. “It just makes me take my life more seriously and how I lead it.”

He spoke urging the students in the audience to take action in places where they see or experience injustice.

“Yeah as I transition into adulthood as an 18-year-old, I feel like it [his presentation] really made me reflect on that I’m an adult now, and I am going to be making decisions as a voter, as a citizen, that will affect my children and my grandchildren and myself.” McCall ’26 said.

McCall said she hoped the Mount community could understand and could appreciate the strength behind her cousin’s experiences that he so vividly recounted for the audience.

She also shared what it means to see her cousin’s legacy come alive far beyond a personal family setting.

“I hope that everyone was able to learn something from my cousin’s presentation, and look at how much he has experienced and how strong he is to have gone through it and still remain so positive and optimistic.” McCall ‘26 said.

“I wanted to thank Gabby again for bringing that, not just to me, but really to all of us. to have that opportunity with her cousin and hear his story.” West said.

“If you see someone that has the same aspirations as you have in wanting to make our world better, join hands. Dr. King said, evil stands up when good people sit down.” Salaam said.