Black History is America’s History All Year Long . . .” was the central statement of an Urban League Display at Riverhead High School last year that celebrated African American graduates of RHS. This is a sentiment shared by all of the schools, and, yet,  February, Black History Month, also gives our diverse student body a chance to pause and celebrate, and celebrate they did!

Each morning at the Roanoke Avenue School during Black History Month, student announcers shared a black history moment with their schoolmates. Quotes from famous Black Americans could be found in the hallways. Speakers visited classrooms and the Book of the Month Assembly featured a reading of the “The Black Snow Man.”

Aquebogue held its annual celebration of Black History Month, which features, songs, games and poetry and concludes with its Parade of Famous Black Americans. Oprah Winfrey drew the most applause and Barack Obama’s picture joined the parade this year. Aquebogue’s music teacher, Marguerite Volonts, always  calls out the names during the parade and concludes with the statement, “Some day one of you will join our parade of famous Black Americans!”

Phillips Avenue School pulled out all the stops with each grade level making a contribution to a celebration, which blended music, dance, drama and narrative. “I Believe” sang the kindergartners, “We All Sing with One Voice”  and “I Shall Be Free” added the first graders. The second graders presented a skit entitled “Unwritten,” written by teacher Kim Benke, which featured statements from George Washington Carver, Jackie Robinson (played by a young baseball player, who captured that Brooklyn accent), Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges (beautifully presented by a young lady in a pretty pink dress), Martin Luther King, Jr. (played by a young man, who was so handsome in his dark suit), and new to the skit this year, Barack Obama (portrayed by a second grader, who has both Obama’s lanky good looks and natural charm). Staying politically correct, the skit also included a short presentation by a Hillary Clinton stand-in. This delightful offering was followed by a moving ballad entitled “The Story of Ruby Bridges” sung and acted out by students in Mrs. Ellis-Smith’s third grade class. Ruby Bridges was followed by a visual presentation entitled “A Dream” by Mrs. Barth’s third grade class and preceded by a “Liturgical Dance.” The celebration concluded with a play entitled the “Freedom School, Yes!” by Mrs. Mackey’s fourth grade class.

The students at Riley celebrated black history in many ways throughout the month of February by integrating it into the curriculum. Riley Avenue’s halls displayed interpretative portraits of Dr. King and three-dimensional figures from history, which revealed the students’ biographical studies and writings on famous Americans, many of whom were African American.

Pulaski Street School held a special assembly that featured Jenny Corbin reciting, from memory, a poem by Maya Angelou and speeches given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pulaski teacher Marion White concluded the month-long celebration at Pulaski with a mouth-watering Black History Month meal that she cooked herself.

The final assembly of Black History Month was presented at the High School. This evening presentation was entitled a “Black History/Unity Celebration.”  It featured the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Jannia Perez, a welcome and a reading by Principal David Zimbler, the RHS Chamber Choir singing “Deep River” and “Come by Here” under the direction of Sean O’Hara, a multimedia presentation of famous Black Americans and the recognition of two students, Shaneice Martin and Rock Mabaka, who were chosen as “2008 Future Leaders of Suffolk County” by Steve Levy’s office.

These are just a FEW of the ways Black History was celebrated throughout the District. As one poster read, “BLACK HISTORY IS NOT JUST ONE MONTH!”