Black History Month

Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada and more recently has been observed during October in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Black History Month marks achievements made by African Americans and is a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.

Mount Saint Mary Academy spotlights various Black History Month throughout the school community. Below, you will find videos by our students about our DEI initiatives, including our new Diversity Club, as well as descriptions of activities, curriculum features, prayers and additional resources from the Mercy Education System of the Americas (MESA).

Curriculum Activities to Mark Black History Month

Social Studies Department

Joanne Cadigan-Peters, Social Studies Department Chair, said, "We have been discussing topics on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties since the start of the school year with the Institution of Slavery, Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Post-Reconstruction Jim Crow Period, Jazz Age and Harlem Renaissance in our United State History classes. Colonization, Haitian Revolution, and Imperialism have been taught in our World History classes."

All grade level History classes will start class once a week during February by analyzing an inspiring quote from a black historical figure and write a journal reflection.

US History classes will use resources from Teaching for Change for Black History Month -- specifically short video clips from the Civil Rights Era (1950s/1960s) , for example: Ruby Bridges, Daisy Bates, so that students can feel the effects of change through the video's visuals. These videos will tie in nicely with a future unit on Civil Rights. e through the visuals of the video. These videos, which are from the Zinn Project and are recommended by Teaching for Change, will tie in nicely to a future unit on Civil Rights.
The US Honors and APUSH classes watched 13th and the Global Studies classes are learning about Apartheid in South Africa and have read Born a Crime by Trevor Noah.
AP United States Government & Politics students are studying Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. They are studying specific SCOTUS cases, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, etc. and how these laws/rulings apply today - what 21st Century changes have occurred to shape policy (positive/negative impacts). Students will complete a Picture Story on the March to Washington in 1963.
Social Studies has a Civil Rights Bulletin Board up in our hallway.
AP Psychology will also be doing a social experiment that ties into SCOTUS case Brown v. Board of Education later this month.
Mrs. Cadigan-Peters' Government classes are also doing a timeline on Black Activism in the United States from the 1950s to 2021.

English Department

English I classes study Black authors from the Harlem Renaissance to the present, including poems by Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglas Johnson, Claude McKay, Gwendolyn Brooks, Terrance Hayes, and Tracy K. Smith. Next week, during Black History Month, we will begin reading Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.

English II classes are currently reading Kindred by Octavia Butler-a novel about an African-American woman living in the 1970s who is pulled back in time to save her white, plantation-owning ancestor's life. It explores the reality and complexity of slavery as well as the lingering effects of its legacy in America. Additionally, students study excerpts from Isabel Wilkerson's The Warmth of other Suns, a nonfiction novel about the Great Migration and segregation. They will also be reading a series of poems by contemporary poets of color like Patrick Rosal, Ross Gay, Aracelis Girmay, Rita Dove, Terrance Hayes, Tim Seibels, Claude McKay, and others.

English III classes examine the impacts of British colonialism and imperialism in poems and literature. Some classes are currently watching Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talks: "The Danger of a Single Story" and "We Should All Be Feminists," then discussing them in context with Jamaica Kinkaid's "Girl," Allison Joseph's "On Being Told I Don't Speak Like a Black Person" in juxtaposition with Shaw's Pygmalion. Additionally, students read about the history of discrimination in the medical establishment in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. In February, students will study the content and rhetorical devices in Dr. MLK Jr.'s speeches through PBS lesson plans.

English IV Classes read Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, a classic African novel about African traditions and culture and its erasure through colonialism. Students also examine excerpts from author Maryse Condéand Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness to explore the genocidal history of Belgium's exploitation of the Congo and as a Eurocentric point of contrast to highlight how deeply-entrenched racism was in Europe. Then, we will read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus for a more contemporary picture of Africa that will allow students to draw on what we have already studied and see the lingering impacts of colonialism, as well as challenge the stereotypical depictions of the continent. Additionally, students in February will study Zora Near Hurston's seminal Harlem Renaissance text on being a Black woman living in Florida during the 1930s, Their Eyes Were Watching God, as well as Alan Paton's 1948 Cry, The Beloved Country, a work which examines the strains and friendships that develop during apartheid in S. Africa.

World Languages Department

Students in World Language classes study Black history, contributions, and activism throughout the year in our curriculum. Our curriculum includes thematic units of immigration, migration, racism and racial Injustice, women's rights, science and scientific advances, religion, history and more. Our curriculum is invested with the importance of heritage and culture and includes BIPOC.

In February, our World Language students were:

Reading the story of Felipe Alou, a Dominican Baseball player;
Exploring identities of Afro-Latinos and Afro-Italians and discussing the importance of heritage/culture;
Assignments and presentations on Afro-Latinos-Students will be sharing these biographies and works of art, song, poems, writing;
Reading in the Target Language - poems, excerpts from novels written by BIPOC. Some authors: Nancy Morejon, Nicolas Guillen, Igiaba Scego, Amara Lakhous, Salah Methnani, Ubax Cristina Ali Farah;
Examining and discussing social media posts and blogs by Afro-Italian activists which show and highlight the contemporary diaspora and challenges and for Afro-Italians in Italy;
Exploring the contributions of Afro-Italian athletes, singers, artists, writers, and scientists;
Exploring the role of Classics (Latin and Greek) as a foundation for Black educational and intellectual opportunities beginning in the 19th century;
Being introduced to influential Black Classicists, past and present; and
Discussing how Greco-Roman references have been misused as a justification for racism and how Classical scholarship surrounding race and ethnicity is developing and evolving.

To celebrate Black History month, members of the International Club researched the lives of BIPOC who have made significant contributions to society in the world. They created posters shared below.

The International Club hosted a Kahoot game which includes the details of these lives and contributions.

Theology Department

According to Isabel Gachko, Campus Minister and Theology Department Chairperson, Seniors have been discussing the principles of peace and solidarity and have analyzed Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" in light of those principles. The Seniors and Sophomores viewed and discussed a video of S. Thea Bowman talking to the USCCB about what it means to be Black and Catholic. Juniors have been focusing on unity, nonviolence and the Catholic Social Teaching of Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Each class prepared Power Point presentations highlighting Black historical figures which were shared with the Freshman classes. Freshmen have been focusing on the Sisters of Mercy Critical Concern of Racism, viewed the Junior Black History Power Point presentations while listening to Mandisa's "We All Bleed The Same." All Theology classes participated in a Black History month Kahoot. Peer Ministry Club is hosting a showing of the film Just Mercy, which is based on the true story of Bryan Stevenson's battle for justice. He is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. Mrs. Susan McGahan will also be sharing her experience with the EJI.

"I really appreciate the opportunity to watch the film Just Mercy this past week. I had watched it before, but I decided to watch it again at this meeting and I was able to notice many more things and look deeper into the movie. Although it was emotional, it was a great movie and I learned a lot about the criminal justice system. Listening to Mrs. McGahan was also very informative and I look forward to receiving the list of things we can do to help," said Phoebe Costalos '23.

Tara Schilke '21 added, "Just Mercy is a brilliant film the exemplifies the importance of determination. Determination to not take the easy way out. Determination to not allow prejudice to guide our views. Determination to fight injustice in every aspect of our society. It is hard and you may face a million closed doors but with determination we can move forward step by step."

Art Department

Kennedy Library Media Center Presentations

The Kennedy Library Media Center featured a special display and bulletin board in the hallway to highlight books related to Black History during the month of February.

Videos

Diversity Club at Mount Saint Mary Academy by Olivia Encarnacion '23

The Importance of Black History Month by Ashkaya Karanam '23

An Interview with Madeline Albrittain on Black History Month by Kayla Robertson '23

Peer Facilitators on
Black History Month

Prayerful Reflections

Dear Lord, I ask that you open the eyes of those who are prejudiced, So they understand what they have done. Open the ears of those in power, To hear the voices of those in suffering. Open the hearts of those around us, So we can all try to make a difference. And hold the hand of everyone who suffers from racism daily. Amen.

Lord, Please guide us to support, respect, and advocate for those who are facing racism or discrimination. Allow us to better understand what they are experiencing and educate ourselves so that we can work towards dismantling these injustices. Open the hearts and minds of those who find it difficult to support those affected by all forms of racism. Be with us now as we strive to work together within our communities so that we may celebrate both our similarities and differences and become an anti-racist multicultural community. Amen.

Mary, friend and mother to all, through your Son, God has found a way to unite himself to every human being, called to be one people, sisters and brothers to each other. We aWsk for your help in calling on your Son, seeking forgiveness for the times when we have failed to love and respect one another. We ask for your help in obtaining from your Son the grace we need to overcome the evil of racism and to build a just society. e ask for your help in following your Son, so that prejudice and animosity will no longer reflect our minds or hearts but will be replaced with a love that respects the dignity of each person. Mother of the Church, the Spirit of your Son, Jesus warms our hearts. Pray for us. Amen.