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Proposal would name Madison Park gym in Mandela’s honor

Nelson Mandela told students at Madison Park High in 1990 that “education is the most powerful weapon which we can use.”Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff/File/Globe Staff

The physical education building at a Roxbury high school, where Nelson Mandela delivered a rousing speech 25 years ago, would be renamed after the South African leader under a proposal presented to the Boston School Committee Wednesday night.

Mandela spoke in the gymnasium at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in 1990 as part of a US tour he embarked upon a few months after he was released from prison. He encouraged students to earn their diplomas, saying to cheers, “because education is the most powerful weapon which we can use.”

The name change is part of a broader effort initiated by two state legislators — Senator Jason Lewis of Winchester and Representative Byron Rushing of Boston — to commemorate Mandela’s visit to Boston and his legacy for democracy, justice, and liberation for all, said Fran Smith, grant manager at Madison Park.

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“We were thrilled when we were approached” to take part, Smith told the committee during the presentation.

The committee is expected to vote on the proposal at its next meeting. The proposal has the unanimous support of the school site councils for both Madison Park and the O’Bryant School of Math and Science, which are housed on the same campus and share the athletics facilities.

Currently, the phys-ed complex is known simply as “Building #4.”

Students at both schools are brainstorming ideas to honor Mandela at the phys-ed complex, such as creating a mural or a mosaic about Mandela and words from his speech, said Nicole Gittens, headmaster at the O’Bryant.


James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globevaznis.