nothin Lights On Black History | New Haven Independent

Lights On Black History

Sam Gurwitt Photo

While Jule Brogdon and Asya Dixon sang You Made a Way” in front their peers in the Black and Hispanic Student Union, a phone lit up in the audience.

Then another — then another.

Soon a sea of lights swayed in the audience — lights on black history.

That happened as Hamden High students gathered Thursday morning in the auditorium for a presentation in honor of Black History Month. The annual event, which the school’s Black and Hispanic Student Union (BHSU) hosts, featured student musical and dance performances, short history lessons, and guest speakers.

Once BHSU President Abdul Osmanu had introduced the event, the audience rose for James Weldon Johnson’s Negro National Anthem.

Alyssa Green, Jasmine Thomas (pictured above), and Jelin Hinton took the mics to sing the piece, each soloing on a verse. Community members Jered Brunson and Joseph Fountain (pictured below) accompanied on keyboard and guitar.

Appreciation of black history should not be limited to 28 days, because black history is American history,” BHSU President Abdul Osmanu told the packed auditorium once students had settled back into their seats. It’s our time to take a stand and fight for a country that judges by character and not by the color of skin!” he continued.

After Principal Nadine Gannon said a short word to the HHS family,” four students gave presentations on instances of violence against African Americans: Emmett Till, the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, the arrest and death of Sandra Bland, and the beating of Rodney King by police and the protests it sparked.

Osmanu told the Independent that HHS could do more to improve representation of people of color in its curriculum. He said that when black history is presented, it’s often done so only in a negative light: slavery, lynching, etc. He said he hopes to learn more about the positive accomplishments of people of color and remember people who have done great things for us, and emulate their behavior and take it to new heights.”

After Kynah Patton (pictured) sang Change Gonna Come,” Pastor Daniel Bland of the Mount Calvary Revival Center in New Haven addressed the school.

When he was sitting in the crowd, he said, I realized I was sitting in a room full of difference makers. The difference between those who get things done and those who do nothing,” he continued, is that those who make a difference simply believe that they can make a difference.”

He told the students gathered before him the three ways he hoped they would begin to make a difference: this year we’re gonna make a difference in our own lives, we’re going to make a difference in our families, and we’re going to make a difference in our communities.”

The event also featured two dance performances. First was a modern selection performed by five students. Next, the HHS Dragon Steppers performed a step dance piece.

Finally, all of the performers gathered on the stage while Brogdon and Dixon (pictured) sang You Made a Way” to the sea of swaying cellphone lights.

After the event, BHSU Vice President Kelsea Little told the Independent that there should be more representation of people of color in the HHS curriculum. Even though we’re all educated together,” she said, we come from very different backgrounds.” A more diverse curriculum would help students have a more well-rounded view of history and of themselves.

Lamont Battle, who is a security officer for the school and advises the BHSU, said that Black History Month helps educate individuals to understand who they are.” It helps them reach back, he said, and figure out where they come from.

The BHSU hosts weekly meetings in which students and Battle discuss whatever is on students’ minds, including current events and any issues at the school. It also leads annual trips to historically black colleges and universities.

When Battle took the podium to dismiss the audience to their third-period classes, he turned to his students gathered on the stage and shouted: When I say BH you say SUBH!”

His students shouted back: SU!” He said again: BH,” and again they answered: SU!”

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