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Local artist Jo’Mia Johnson speaks to students about her art during Mod 1 of Ac Lab on Wednesday, Feb. 7. Johnson brought her paintings to the Library to share the emotion behind each piece. “Happiness has no age. Sadness has no age. Love has no age,” Johnson said when asked about youth emotional expression.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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A group of students gathers in the Library to view Jo’Mia Johnson’s art gallery. Students were invited to join the discussion and speak about how they interpreted different pieces.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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Dr. Cassandra Suggs, Rockwood’s Director of Educational Equity and Access, speaks to students in the Library about Black History. Dr. Suggs was joined by her son, basketball player Scott Suggs via a Zoom call. “Black history isn’t just about slavery or the Civil Rights movement,” Dr. Suggs said. “Black history is happening every day.”
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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Basketball player and Missouri-born Scott Suggs visits with students virtually from France where he is currently playing. Suggs spoke about how he got to where he is and about working hard to achieve goals. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something if you want to do it,” Suggs said.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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Tyja Lynxx, Allie Forte and Daija Jones, members of the Black Rep Theatre Company, perform a show in the Theater. Their performance was poetry-based and included famous works by historical Black figures and musical excerpts. “Rain or sun, warm or cold, my skin is pure as liquid gold,” Forte recited.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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Tyja Lynnx, an actress of The Black Rep Theater Company, performs on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The Black Rep is a St. Louis-based “theater of the soul” that highlights African American culture. “Love liberates,” Lynx said in her performance.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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Koryn Hubbard, senior, and Armani Alexander, freshman, perform their dance to the song “Lift Me Up” at the BHM Talent Show during Mod 2 of Ac Lab on Monday, Feb. 20. The dance is a contemporary piece the students choreographed. The pair also performed this dance at the Talent Show in September.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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The Marquette Step Team perform at the BHM talent show. The team made history as the first step team at MHS. The Step Team will also perform at the Festival of Nations on Tuesday, March 5.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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The Marquette Step Team teach students some basic step moves at their workshop on Monday, Feb. 20. Step is a dance style that emphasizes rhythm through footwork. Students in the audience during the show were invited up to learn.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
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Student audience members perform a short step routine. The routine was taught to them during the workshop. The participants engaged in a friendly competition against the Step team that was judged by the volume of the audience’s cheers.
Media by Angel DiSalvo'
When Gavin McDonnell, freshman, signed up to see an art display for Black History Month during Ac Lab on Wednesday, Feb. 7, he did not fully know what to expect. Afterward, McDonnell said he had gained a deeper understanding of what can inspire African American art and believed that his culture was “spoken” to as a Black student himself.
“Anything really that highlights African American culture is important because we were kept away from it for so long,” McDonnell said. “No one knew who we were, and now we’re making a voice and standing out from others.”
The art display featuring the work of local artist Jo’Mia Johnson was one of multiple events that the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is hosting to celebrate Black History Month
“It’s important for artists like me and also African American students to celebrate Black art and speak up for what we create,” Johnson said. “The influence our creations have on the world.”
Johnson said people often do not know where aspects of African American culture originated or how they were popularized, making it important to be celebrated.
“We overlook peanut butter, or we overlook certain hair products that we use,” Johnson said. “A lot of the people that create those things are African American, and a lot of them don’t get credit.
Johnson said that Black History Month is an essential part of remembering what was “stolen” from African American culture and understanding what makes it unique.
“It allows you to open your eyes to how big a part that others played in the downing of African American culture,” Johnson said.
Other events included guest speakers on Monday, Feb. 12; a theater performance by St. Louis group The Black Rep entitled “Race In America: Past, Present, and Future” on Feb. 14; a talent show by the MHS Step Team on Monday, Feb. 20; and an author visit on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
Additionally, numerous posters highlighting significant figures in Black history were hung in various places throughout the school this month. These posters were created by students in Shelly Justin’s Black Literature class. They created QR codes of audio slides to add to each poster.
Teachers are also recognizing the importance of the month.
While Scott Szevery, social studies teacher, always tries to discuss aspects of African American history in his courses, he said setting a month aside for Black people or any group can highlight how they contributed to American history.
“Black History Month tends to highlight the positives; whereas, much of the narrative of the rest of American history often focuses on the oppressive side of things,” Szevery said. “It’s good for that balance to happen.”
Szevery said while the oppression of Black people is an important subject, understanding what they have “given” to the United States and their resilience against racial discrimination can be just as significant.
Teachers have to understand the full picture beyond what is stated in textbooks in order to highlight those lesser-known aspects, Szevery said.
“Anytime people bring up racial issues, there’s a pushback,” Szevery said. “If you frame it with some positives, you can see a more welcoming environment for diversity.”
