Black History Celebration

Gathering Our Youth through Positive Beginnings

Once again this year, the community produced a wonderful event focusing on Black History. Held in the auditorium of John Muir Elementary, the event featured poems, songs, a procession of the Queen of Sheba and her Court and some dramatic readings. This was the 4th annual event produced by Ruby Johnson of the Western Addition Drill Team, one of the founding partners of Hayes Valley Community Partners. This year’s event saw a further evolution of the celebration, as the Western Addition Beacon Center partnered with other groups in a collaborative effort to include more of the youth in the area and at the school. Every year it just gets better!

Some of the talented youth from the neighborhood and the Western Addition Beacon Center at the 4th Annual Black History Month Celebration at John Muir Elementary School. Photo: Barbara Wenger

Youngsters from the 2nd grade on up gave presentations of famous names, and there were several recitations of what the world would be like without black people, focusing on inventors and their invention. How would you like to live in a world without elevators, washing machines, or even combs? These, and many more items we take for granted, were invented by black people. While non-violent protest may not be an invention, the event focused on two of our nation’s leaders who were made famous by promoting non-violence and equality for all, Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King. A tribute was made to Ms King for her enduring legacy, and a recording of Dr Kings was played as a reminder to all of how far we have come, together, and how far we can go if we continue to work together to combat inequality wherever we find it.

Always a crowd pleaser, the Western Addition Drill Team did a Drill-N-Step routine that had the audience on their feet, and which was followed by a presentation from the Mayor’s Office in honor of the Drill Team.