Pride on Display at Black History Month Celebration

In early March, Martha’s Table’s Healthy Startprogram held a wrap up celebration of Black History Month with a special student performance for parents and staff. Learning about African-American heritage and culture was a major component of our educational programming throughout February, and our students shared their learning through song, theater, and a video project.

Our pre-kindergarten students kicked the evening off with a bang, sharing their dreams for the future, inspired by what they learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The celebration continued with a lively recitation of “Let Freedom Ring” and renditions of “Follow the Drinking Gourd” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Students introduced these performances by explaining the significance of each piece in African-American history. Finally, our 4th and 5th grade students closed out the day with a video exploring what black history means to them. Jenny explained that Black History Month allowed her to further appreciate her favorite civil rights icons: Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman. “If it wasn’t for them,” she said, “we couldn’t go to the same school, and everything would just be segregated.”

Parents, teachers, and staff alike brimmed with pride over the performance, which was the result of weeks of hard work and preparation. Students also showed pride for their work, and it was clear that the month of learning had instilled confidence across the grades. “They’re young and still learning so much about the world,” says Healthy Start instructor Victoria. “These projects give them a foundation of knowledge for middle school, high school, and onto college.”

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