Crossroads News

Elementary School Kicks Off Black History Month

Students, parents, faculty and staff honor inspiring Black Americans.
“Black history is American history,” emphasized fifth grader Wynter Medford at today’s celebration of Black History Month during Monday Morning Meeting. Wynter was one of the many Elementary School students, parents, faculty and staff members who shared stories of the inspiring lives of Black people throughout American history.
 
The subjects of their presentations ranged from public figures, like Nina Simone, Muhammed Ali, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Vice President Kamala Harris, to personal heroes, such as fourth grader Lyric King’s 79-year-old great grandfather, whom she interviewed for the event. Second grader Spencer Mucheru even shared about his own experience protesting for racial equity with Black Lives Matter over the summer.
 
“If we want to do this as a society, we need to do this together. All of us,” Spencer proclaimed.
 
Fourth-grade teacher Latif Boze talked about the influence of hip-hop and rap on his life. “It’s not just that it was an art form that came out of the Black music tradition. It’s not just that it came from these amazing young people in Black and brown communities,” he recalled. “It’s that it was fresh: fresh sounds, fresh moves, new language and fresh new information that was mixed in the art form.” Through hip-hop, Latif learned about the first African American woman to run for president through a major political party: Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, in 1972.
 
The presentation concluded with a moving tribute to singer Whitney Houston by fourth grader Izzy James-Jones, who performed Houston’s “Greatest Love of All.” As Izzy sung—“I believe the children are our future / Teach them well and let them lead the way”—Crossroads Elementary Schoolers proved what we can learn from their leadership today.
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