A trip up the 'Underground Railway'
Mossy Creek Elementary recognized Black History Month with a montage of skits featuring students performing various African-Americans through the years.
Brothers Alex, Joseph and Joshua Hillary sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "Down by the Riverside." Both songs were said to be coded to mean different elements for the Underground Railroad travelers.
Jailyn Van Brooks, Jessica Smith, Makayla Cumming, Precious Houston and Victoria Lynch performed a Rono, a black history chant. Each member of the group talked about a famous African-American person. Another group performing a Rono included Madison Evans, Paige Johnson, Mathew McClure, Brad Wilson, Jordyn Kellogg, Darren Turner, Antonio Phillips, Destini Obie-Latterell, Sarah Crew, Mitchell Barfield and Tiara Smith.
"A Chat with Harriett Tubman" was portrayed with the big dipper and moon on the back wall of the stage. Tubman, played by Brittany Robinson, answered questions that slaves asked of her. She told them, "I help free slaves by running the Underground Railroad and answer questions on how the people could read the sky to get places. I help people believe they can be free. Slaves can do what other people do and help the country."
Makayla Cummings sang "Motherless Child Away from Home." The MCE chorus sang, and a group of students sang about Martin Luther King Jr.'s ideas of justice, equal rights, liberty and freedom. Liturgical dancers interpreted "Wade in the Water." With blue streamers and white dance outfits, they illustrated how the slaves went into water to throw off their scent to bloodhounds chasing them. The dancers included Makayla Dawkins, Ryane Blackburn, Taryn Marks, Darnella Bartley and Katelyn Holliday. Then a slide show of historical and prominent African-Americans in the United States was shown.
Vicki Turner, part of Mossy Creek's faculty, wanted a diverse group of students to present a program to tell about black history and break it down to their level through poems, chants, Rono, songs and recitations. She wanted the students to come away with knowledge they may not have known.
Robinson summed it up that Tubman wanted to let the slaves know that they were real people.
Organizing the Black History Day celebration were Turner, Scott Chappell, Sheila Bussey, Brittany Eskierka and Alicia Bennett.