Black History Month:
Wax Museum of African American History-Makers a Success

Students learn about famous African Americans in business, politics, sports, and entertainment.

To celebrate Black History Month, we invited our upperclassmen to portray a famous African American of any era of American history and we presented them as a “wax museum.” The museum was set up in the gymnasium, and our younger students would approach a “statue,” press a button, and the statue would deliver a one-minute speech about themselves.

Our students chose African American history-makers from all decades of American history, from current personalities Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, to historic figures like George Washington Carver, Madame C.J. Walker, and W.E.B. DuBois. Sports and entertainment were represented, too, with the likes of Josephine Baker and football’s Jim Brown – and many, many more. We saw our student-statues wearing labcoats and business suits and sports uniforms.

The younger kids walked around alone, or in groups of two or three, looking up to the high school students and learning something they perhaps didn’t know. We’re particularly pleased that it was our older students who taught the younger students that day, and were proud to do it.

Thanks to our students of all ages and many thanks to the parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who stopped by to enjoy the students’ hard work. Remember, our door is always open for these events and we’re always happy when you stop by.

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