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Play teaches children about African American history
By Jerome Hule, Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 6, 2007 3:32 PM EST
(Courtesy of LocalNews.com)

UNION -  Through the media of song and stage play, students of Franklin Elementary School learned a few history facts Feb. 1 about the "African American experience," covering an array of issues.

The  performance was presented at a school-wide assembly by Nana Babies, a non-profit organization that uses performing arts to educate students about cultural issues. The presentation kicked off Black History Month activities at the school.

Nana Babies is presenting this "Musically Educating Assembly Program" throughout the tri-state area during the Black History Month and beyond.

The first stage play at Franklin School was about a young man who took his first date to a black wax museum. Through the play, the  story of notable inventions by African Americans was told. Such inventions include the refrigerated truck, mailbox, baby carriage, pencil sharpener, toilet and sugar crystals, among others. In her narrative, Wincey Terry,  producer of the program, explained that there is a black wax museum in Baltimore with life-size wax figures of historical and contemporary personalities of African ancestry.

The story of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the National Baseball League, was also enacted on stage, explaining how persistence and commitments helped bridge color barriers.

The scene opens with a white baseball player refusing to let Robinson join him on the field because he was black. Robinson asked to be given a chance on the basis of his competence and not his color.

There were also scenes about black people's struggle for freedom from slavery. In one of the scenes, a slave owner instructs his slave about her responsibilities but limits the amount of food available to her and other slaves. With their burdens becoming unbearable, the slaves planned their escape, one choosing to put himself in a box to be shipped to the north where he would be free.

In a narrative, Terry said Harriet Tubman hired herself out to make money, with which she organized the Underground Railroad, which helped southern slaves escape to freedom in the north and Canada. Terry explained that the fleeing slaves were given help on their journey to freedom from a group of white businessmen known as the Quakers, who provided them with food, medicine and money.

"Our goal is to let the children know and respect other cultures,"  Terry said about her programs. Besides African American themes, Nana Babies also does programs on the culture and history of Latino people as well as women and drug awareness.

Deputy Mayor Clifton People attended the school assembly, telling the students it was an opportunity to learn and be entertained.  Franklin School Principal Kathryn DiGiovanni said the presentation gave the students something to think about.

"It's magnificent. The children will benefit from it," she said. The principal said she was pleased her school was chosen for the presentation, adding that she also learned something from being part of the assembly. "We have not had such an assembly for a long time," she said.  The presentation was sponsored by Wal-Mart.

As part of Black History Month activities, Franklin School has arranged for a student to prepare and present a biographical report of famous African Americans every day. There are also classroom activities geared toward Black History Month, the principal said.

Students learn about African heritage
Ocean County Observer
February 25, 2006
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