Friday, February 7, 2003

School celebrations honor Black History Month

Schools in Fulton County are observing the month of February, "Black History Month," with special celebrations across the county.

The month-long observance honors the achievements and contributions made by African Americans to the nation's economic, cultural, spiritual, and political development.

The celebration originated through the work of Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, who founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Through the Association, Negro History Week (renamed Black History Week in the 1970s) was created to bring national attention to the accomplishments of African Americans and to provide a more objective and scholarly balance to American and World history. The observance was expanded in 1976 to become Black History Month.

The following schools' activities were reported to the school system's Information and Community Relations Department:

Banneker High School

Clubs and organizations have been assigned a hall to decorate in the African colors of red, black, green, and yellow. Red represents blood that has been shed, black represents the people, green represents the land, and yellow represents wealth and prosperity. Black history trivia questions also will be given each morning and once a week, students can play an "Oldies Mix" game where songs are scrambled and students have to identify the tune.

Campbell Elementary School

On February 7, "The Black Cowboy" will be presented to all students. This play, produced by the Storytellers of the American Frontier, emphasizes the contributions of black men as cowboys, soldiers, and heroes on the American frontier. Four performances (8:30, 9:30, 10:30 a.m., and 12 p.m.) will be held throughout the day, and a live horse will be featured in the play.

Heritage Elementary School

On February 11 at 7 p.m., students will perform "Boy, Don't You Know." The one-act play chronicles the historical roots of African Americans, from enslaved black men and women to the wonders of the Harlem Renaissance to the present where we see celebrities including Colin Powell, Michael Jordan, and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.

Tri-Cities High School

On February 21-23, the Tri-Cities Performing Arts magnet students will perform "The River Niger," which was the first African American play to win a Tony Award. Bulletin boards featuring contributions of famous black Americans will be displayed throughout the school, and guest speakers have been invited to visit classrooms during the month.