Celebrating Black History Month at HHS
By: Jazmin Skinner
Harriet Tubman once said, “Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” February is a month people normally celebrate inspirational African American Leaders. The Hopewell High School Black History Program dug deeper into past and present traditions and upbringings. In each performance you could feel the spirit of the African-American people.
HHS held their Annual Black History Month Program to pay tribute to the rich origins and history of the African culture. Contributions that are, and will forever be, a dynamic part of our America today. The program was diverse, celebrating all the parts of the African-American culture, from an original rap song by Anthony Crawford and Josh Williams, to a number by the Jazz Band. The stage was also filled with spoken word, cheerleaders, African dances, step team, and vocal solos.
In Spite of the quick turnaround, everyone worked together and harder to show how much they love and take pride in the culture. In the beginning of the program, Ms. Allen shared the background of African-American History and origin. The Hopewell High School Mixed Ensemble Choir sang a moving song from Harriet, while each person revealed their own unique voice and displayed empowerment and respect for our ancestors.
Poetry is in every part of life, but especially in music: rap, country, and even gospel. In the African-American community, poetry has been a strong outlet for expressing their journey through the use of rhythm and sound. The poetry shared during the performances was rich in emotion and tradition.
Dance was another way that the students expressed the culture. In history, dance was used to reveal how a dancer felt towards someone or even used as a prayer. During the assembly, a group of students used tribal dance and stepping to celebrate their understanding of African-American dance. Through stepping, a story of triumph, determination, and perseverance was told. The HHS Cheerleaders celebrated the story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities cheerleading squads. These cheerleaders were formed and flourished despite years of discrimination and segregation.
Attendees were challenged during the program to celebrate African-American history all year long. The program was a beautiful reminder of the wonderful gifts given to us by our rich culture. In the words of Rosa Parks, “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”