Interacting with their history
STARKVILLE, Miss., (WCBI) The East Oktibbeha Education Association and Sisters in Christ held their first collaborative event Saturday at The Learning Center, the former F. O. Alexander High School.
When you think of a Black History Program, you think of an informative event. One that teaches the history of those that made a difference in the way many Black Americans live now.
But the East Oktibbeha Education Association and Sisters in Christ wanted to do more than inform. They wanted to give those in attendance a hands-on experience.
Dr. Sandra Gillespie says it helps them to really feel the emotions of the time.
“So, this interactive event that we’re doing it’s going to allow kids to be a part of history. So we can teach history to them but in order to teach the gradual relief and responsibility we have to let our kids be a part of it,” Gillespie said.
To do this, the two non-profit organizations did an interactive program based on the book “Black Moses” which chronicles the life of Harriet Tubman, who freed herself and many slaves by using the Underground Railroad.
Participants went to “sections” to paint, learn about how foods were made, play a game, and learn a dance.
Jackie Ellis, one of the organizers of the East Oktibbeha Education Association says the goal is for the children to interact with each other, learn their history and learn their community.
“With this being Black History Month our goal is to present programs and opportunities for our young people to have a hands on experience in knowing about their community history,” Ellis said.
Gillespie says they wanted people to get a real feel for their history.
“It’s easy for us to read a book and you can sit them and draw your own analogy of what you think happened, but if you be a part of it then you’re able to feel and to take away knowing that you were a part of history,” Gillespie said.
