annual oratorical contest 2023 Theme Black Resistance
Presented by Our Authors Study Club and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Sigma Sigma Alumnae Chapter
Saturday March 18th 2023
Grades 9-12 So Cal Residents Welcome
Theme: Black resistance
Your speech should tell us how African Americans have advocated for a dignified self-determined life and a just democratic society in the United States and beyond .
- African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores. These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond the United States' political jurisdiction. The 1950s and 1970s in the United States was defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, strikes by Black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all sectors of society from employment to education to housing. Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all. Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of our griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and our freedom fighters, like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize. Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics. Black led institutions and affiliations have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested, and achieved success. For more on the theme click here.
About The Contest
Since 1950 the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has presented an oratorical contest for students to compete for cash scholarships. This contest is presented in Los Angeles in conjunction with Our Authors Study Club (OASC), the local branch of ASALH and the Sigma Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Each year the theme is selected by ASALH and presented by students in their local regions. It is with great pride that we continue this tradition of coveting
great speakers and awarding young scholars.
1st Place $500 2nd Place $300 3rd Place $200 APPLY NOW
SGRho Sigma Sigma Los Angeles
Sigma Sigma was chartered in 1939 by Soror Ruby G. Peake and was assisted by Sorors Hattie McDaniel and Catherine White Williams. The local alumnae chapter carries out the mission of Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority Inc. and is dedicated to education, health & wellness and empowerment for the communities that we serve. Current Basileus (President) is Soror Tawanda Carpenter. For more info:
Happy Contest Winners
Contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12
from Los Angeles or surrounding areas. Are you the next Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Amanda Gorman, Anna Navarro or Joaquin Castro?
Have you got skills? Can you wow a crowd? Congrats 2022 Winners
Kholin Young 3rd Place
Mia Moore 2nd Place
Olivia Carter 1st Place
Hunter Young- Honorable Mention
We wanna hear from you!
Our Authors Study Club
Our Authors Study Club was founded by Vassie D. Wright, who was also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. In 1945, she and a group of postal workers formed OASC to study the true history of African People. She is responsible for LA's 1st city wide Negro History Week celebration, which evolved to the current observation of Black History Month in Los Angeles. Mrs. Wright was born in Paola, Kansas and was educated in Colorado, Kansas and at USC. Mrs. Wright petitioned Carter G. Woodson (The Father of Black History) to charter OASC as the Los Angeles Branch of what is now known as ASALH.
For more info: https://asalh.org/
Current president of OASC is Mrs. Lura Ball https://oascla.org/