In a remarkable full circle moment at Milton Academy, history echoed as alumnus Lamont Gordon from the class of 1987 returned to campus. Back in 1986, a pivotal year that marked the United States’ inaugural federal observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Gordon was a student at Milton, attentively listening to the academy’s first-ever MLK Day speaker. On a recent Tuesday, Gordon stood on the same grounds, this time as Milton Academy’s distinguished 2025 MLK Day speaker.
The assembly in 1986 left an indelible mark on Gordon, primarily due to the speaker, Reverend Charles R. Stith. As Gordon recounted, “Over the last 30 years or so, Stith has become a significant figure in fostering economic and political advancement in Africa, both through investment and his role as U.S. ambassador to Tanzania in the late 1990s.” In 1986, when Reverend Stith addressed Milton Academy, he was a minister and a respected community leader in Boston, having recently established ONE, the Organization for a New Equality, a nonprofit dedicated to social justice.
Inspired by this impactful assembly, Gordon and a classmate reached out to Reverend Stith later that year with a proposition: to conduct their senior project at ONE. Reverend Stith welcomed their initiative. Their senior project involved in-depth research, data analysis, participation in crucial focus groups, and contributing meaningfully to the organization’s ongoing projects. Reflecting on this formative experience, Gordon stated, “It stands out as one of the most enriching experiences during my time at Milton. Looking back, I am struck by the crucial role Milton Academy played in my personal and intellectual growth. It was a period of self-discovery, shaping my place in the world, my core values, and what truly matters to me.”
