Tentative Black History Line-up

Brain Storming!

In Memoriam: (Briggs)

Mohammed Ali – 20 second speech by Ali (Flo)

Prince

African Tradition of Honoring the Dead – Mr. Bah and Mr. Briggs

“Pouring of Libations”

Video Montage: “What Does Being Black Mean to You?”

Akili and Polina

Prerecorded and edited video of “What Does It Mean to be an African-American?”

Akili and Polina

Dance – “Bottom of the River”

Cheyenne Dioh,  Akili, Noah, Kaelen, Monai

Dance

Dance Guard

Edith – choreographer

Chandler

Mr. Briggs:

Black Lives Matter – Twenty Three Ways You Can be Killed if You’re Black in America (Khalah)

* Maybe have students do the 23 ways to be killed…

Tribute to Michelle Obama

Cultural Appropriation – (Briggs)

Bridges + 5^th Period

Section is introduced by an actor who explains what cultural appropriation is

Then a scene is played by actors to illustrate misappropriation of African American culture (Shania)

Meaning of cultural appropriation

Prison incarceration rate of Black males and females – Mr. Briggs

Why is it happening? – Flo

Scene showing two cocaine users, one white, one black, and the disparate treatment of drug users based on race - Beverly

Meaning of the rising of black incarceration rates

Black Lives Matter (Tai Jones)

Begin with footage of the Rodney King beating  (suggestion by Flo to put at beginning of assembly)

Then fast forward to the present with the beatings within the past four years and the emergence of Black Lives Matter

Archival Material

Students write sketches or speeches about Black Lives Matter and present

Victims of Police Brutality

Examples: Sandra Bland

Have an actor walk on with a sign “I died because I refused to put out my cigarette.”

The actor in the guise of Sandra Bland tells her story.

Then the actor turns the sign around and shows a photo of Sandra Bland.

Example:

The therapist who was shot while attending his patient.

Example:

The man who was pulled over by the police and shot and killed in front of his child while filmed by his girlfriend. 

Michelle and Barack Obama – Mr. Briggs

A portrayal of the Obamas

Obama’s Farewell Speech

Ending:

Black National Anthem – Khalah, Tai, and Chynna

Someone begins singing the anthem onstage

Then “random” people with electric candles scattered throughout the auditorium stand up and join in singing the song

Need to lighten the mood – have some comedy! Also need to emphasize the positive accomplishments of African Americans.