APSU students, faculty and staff came out to the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center Thursday, Feb 25 to participate in its annual Civil Right reenactment competition.

Students picked different speeches throughout history that promote African Americans and their advancements within civil rights.

Speeches ranged from Viola Davis’ acceptance speech after receiving her award at the Emmy’s to John F. Kennedy’s Civil Rights Address of 1963.

Each student who participated in the re-enactment had a chance to win first, second or third place prizes based on their overall speech performance and which speech they chose.

A money prize of $150 was awarded to the winner, Artrice Pray.

Pray performed Martin Luther King Jr.’s “If I had Sneezed.” The speech recounts King’s appreciation of life and his ability to spread the word of civil rights after a women stabbed him repeatedly, and that if he had just sneezed it would have been the end of his life.

The re-enactment is celebrated as part of Black History Month to educate students on civil rights and to remind people of all colors that America is still fighting for them today.