Mural Unveiling!

Mural Design on Computer

Mural Unveiling and Panel Discussion

Claudenie Da Silva (Teaching Artist) assists in painting mural in U.S.

Students from Brazil and U.S. painting mural at Suitland High School

Kendeley de Oliveira (Student from Brazil) Speaks at Mural Unveiling

Kendeley de Oliveira (Student from Brazil) Speaks at Mural Unveiling

Mural Unveiling Ceremony

 A 40 foot mural celebrating the African Diaspora was unveiled in at Suitland High School, in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  Students from Prince George’s County and students from Sao Paulo, Brazil worked with artists and museum professionals to create the mural. The mural depicts the Brazilian and U.S. Flags, African textiles and symbols, and 3-d cutouts of young people walking throughout the mural.  In the center is a young woman looking upward, who is adorned in West African symbols. The mural depicts Brazil’s and the U.S. shared connection to African heritage. 

The event was an epic night of dynamic performances, student presentations, and motivational speakers. During the unveiling celebration, Suitland High School Center for Performing Arts department showcased dance and theatre performances.  The theatre performance was “A People Could Fly”, an African American folklore about a group of enslaved people flying away to freedom.  The dance performance was based on gospel and African dance and music.  The performances were very moving and artistically portrayed African American history. 

Guest speakers included Bisa Williams, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs, Segun Eubanks, President for the Prince George’s County Board of Education, Dr. Jacqueline Brown, Executive Director of the Prince George’s African American Museum, and Prince George’s County Councilwoman Karen Toles.  Bisa Williams gave a motivational speech that she spoke in both English and Portuguese, encouraging students to be global ambassadors and to continue to enact change in the world. 

As the performances ended, the mural was lowered from the stage and everyone gasped with wonder, and shortly after led with a round of applause. What made the night more significant was that the U.S. and Brazilian project participants were there together to share in this special moment.  Together, they shared with the audience not only the mural that they produced but how this cultural exchange changed and broaden their view of themselves and the world around them.  

Alexandra Maria Da Silva, a student at Antonio Sampaio High School, said the cultural exchange program led her on a journey of self-discovery and gave her an awareness of other cultures. “When I think about this project, I want to help people discover themselves like me,” she said. “Who you are in the world, you know, it’s very important. It’s very important to know where you’re from.

Bryanna Rather, a student at Suitland High School said that she could definitely relate with the students from Brazil because she too had never left the country.  “It was so amazing to connect with my culture but to also see connections with Afro Brazilian culture too.  We learned so much in Brazil and while our Brazilian friends were in the U.S.  We learned about the Civil Rights Movements in the U.S., the real history behind Emancipation Proclamation, and how discrimination has impacted U.S. society.  The mural was great because it brought people together and was so much fun to make. I hope to do these types of cultural exchanges again and I am very eager to share what I have learned!”

Chanel Compton, PGAAMCC Director of Education stated, “This has been such a transformative project for all involved.  The mural is a product of a lot of hard work and the connections that were made between both groups from the U.S. and Brazil.  These types of collaborations strengthen the dialogue between both countries in relation to the African Diaspora. Brazil and the U.S.  have so much in common in relation to Black social and cultural movements and it was amazing to have our youth connect with that history and to each other.”

The mural is entitled “Walking with Purpose”. The theme and title of the mural came from a saying that chaperones would tell students during their travels, “Students…Walk with Purpose”, meaning while we are together in a group to never stray away and to always walk with determination to your destination.  While in the mural design workshops, U.S. students internalized the meaning in a deeper way.  They discussed that the phrase had a deeper meaning; that in life you must always walk with determination to your dreams.  Also, through knowing and appreciating your history and culture, you will walk stronger.  The mural will be installed at the Prince George’s County Public School Administration Office for high visibility and public view.   

Project Background Information:

The Prince George's African American Museum & Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) in North Brentwood, MD and the Museu Afro-Brasil in Sao Paulo, Brazil were awarded the 2013 Museums Connect Grant to implement an innovative youth project, “A Journey Through the African Diaspora”. Both museums recruited youth, teachers, and artists from PGAAMCC’s after school program at Suitland High School, Culture Keepers, and students from the after school program Onarin Koja from EMEFM Vereador Antonio Sampaio, Municipal School of Elementary and High School in Sao Paulo.  

Through field trips and interactive workshops, students and faculty in both countries explored the local history of slavery and how local communities/groups who were enslaved resisted and gained their freedom.  They learned what life was like after emancipation; how these communities/groups developed economically, academically, culturally, politically, and socially in both respective countries.  Prior to travel, Students shared information and research virtually through video conferencing, social media, blogs, and project website.  Students also created artwork that reflected their research and cultural explorations. 

In April and May 2014, participants finally visited each other’s countries for full cultural immersion.  Most of the students and some faculty had never traveled abroad, so they were very excited and honored with the opportunity. In April, U.S. participants traveled to Brazil and in May Brazil participants traveled to the U.S. While in the U.S., both youth groups visited sites such as the Prince George’s African American Museum, American History Museums’ Emancipation and Civil Rights exhibits, the African American Civil War Museum, oral history testimonial from Jeremiah Hawkins who shared the history of his great great grandfather who was enslaved at the Riversdale Estate in Prince George’s County, and students also visited and toured the estate.  While learning the history of the Emancipation Proclamation leading up to the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, participants toured the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. Students learned the history of the memorial sites and how these sites symbolize peace and social justice movements in the United States. It was a memorable experience for all involved. 

Culture Keepers After School Program Serving Local & Global Communities!

Culture Keepers holding up community painting of Sojourner Truth

Kenetia is helping a little one make Sojourner Truth history booklets

 Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) is proud to present Culture Keepers, a teen After School Program at Suitland High School.  Culture Keepers have been busy this year working on the project “A Journey Through the African Diaspora” where they are learning about African American history, art and culture and sharing it with local and global communities. The Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) was awarded the 2013-2014 Museums Connect grant for this project.  Museums Connect is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and  is administered by the American Alliance of Museums.

On Saturday, March 8^th, Culture Keepers presented a community arts program at the Mall at Prince Georges, celebrating Sojourner Truth in recognition of Women’s History Month.  There were more than 80 participants of diverse backgrounds who were engaged in visual arts, story-telling, and dance performance to learn about the great abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth. Culture Keepers worked with youth and their families to create a community painting featuring Sojourner Truth as well as a history booklet about her life. Chanel Compton, PGAAMCC Director of Education states, “It’s wonderful and inspiring to see how eager local youth are to share what  they have learned with local communities.”

In continuing to share Black history, Culture Keepers will travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil in April 2014. They will create a mural with local youth celebrating Afro-culture throughout the Americas. This project is empowering youth to be ambassadors in preserving history, art, and culture in local and global communities.  

Davi is helping to make patches for the community painting!

 

Story-time!  Performer: Jessica Smith tells stories about the life and times of Sojourner Truth

Fun Community Event with Culture Keepers after school program and teen volunteers!

Charles Ball: Once Soldier and Slave

 

Charles Ball
Place of Birth: Calvert County, Maryland
Date of Birth: c. 1781

Charles Ball was an African American enslaved in Calvert County, Maryland and who served as a naval officer during the War of 1812.  He is best known for his account as a fugitive slave in his memoir Slavery in the United States: A Narrative of The Life and Adventures of Charles Ball, first published in 1837.  Born into slavery in Calvert County, Maryland, Charles Ball was separated from his family at an early age of four years old.  During adulthood he was kidnapped and sold to southern plantations, escaped to freedom, and served in the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812.  The War of 1812 was a war declared by the U.S against the British and officially ended in 1815. As depicted in his memoir, Charles Ball, like thousands of African Americans, escaped the atrocities of slavery and served  on both British and U.S. armed forces during the War of 1812.   In his memoir, Ball recalls his life as not only once slave and soldier, but as a businessman, father, and husband. 

  “My Grandfather was brought from Africa, and sold as a slave in Calvert County, Maryland, about the year 1730…[he] claimed kindred with… royal family in Africa, and had been a great warrior in his native country”.  pg. 19 (from Slavery in the United States: NewYork: Published by John S. Taylor, 1837)

Learning about the African Diaspora by Bryanna Rather (age 16)

Early Settlers in North Brentwood, Maryland (Prince George's County)

 Did you know that when Africans first arrived to Maryland they came as indentured servants? In December we had a guest speaker by the name of Dr. Arvenita Washington, who came in and discussed the term Diaspora and the events that took place after the “African Diaspora ” (specifically  the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade"). From her, I learned that instead of being considered “slaves” they were considered “indentured servants”. Africans were not the only “indentured servants”, but also Irish people.

Dr. Washington’s first question to us was “Do you know what the term Diaspora means?”. Everyone replied with their different interpretations of this term after referring back to our umbrella theme for this year; which is the African Diaspora, with different versions of; “it’s the slave trade” and ‘it’s the journey of the Africans to America by way of the slave trade.” When she clicked to her next slide and we read her definition, “The movement, scattering or dispersal of people (either by force or voluntary) from an ancestral homeland,” she was surprised to know that we had already knew so much about that part of her presentation.

  

My first year as a Culture Keeper, we learned about the 4 first Black townships in Prince Georges County; Eagle Harbor, North Brentwood, Fairmont Heights and Glenarden. While learning about these townships we discussed the beginning of Prince Georges County and the heavy influences of African American role models, during this time, that were trying to do find a place they called ‘home’. During Dr. Washington’s presentation she reminded me of the even deeper history about these townships and these role models in Prince Georges and explained the who, the what, the hows and whyof this history . I remembered that Prince Georges County was established in  1696 and populated nearly 50% of the county by the middle of the 18^th century. It was great to fill in the holes of either buried information or available space for new information.

I felt super smart after leaving. Before leaving we were assigned a homework assignement  to go home and ask our relatives about our ancestry. I went home and had this really long history lesson with my grandparents about what I learned and my ancestors during that time period. I asked my Grandmother how far she could date back our ancestry on her side of the family. She told me how she grew up in Nottaway County,Virginia practically all of her life and how she, unlike my Grandfather, had not attended an all-Black school. The furthest ancestor she could think of at the time was my 

Great Great Grandfather who was born on September 8^th, 1898. He worked on the Norfolk and Western Railroad, had 15 children and could not read or write. I asked my Grandfather the same question and he told me about my Great- Great-Great-Great Grandmother whom of which’s birthday year was not recorded but known to be in sometime in the mid-late 1800’s on April 4th. She was a housewife, nicknamed “Big Ma”, who birthed 7 children one of which was my grandfather’s great grandfathers dad, or my Great-Great Grandfather’s father. My Grandfather told me how my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother was very quiet but known for keeping the family together. She was married to my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather Rev. J Bruce Rather who was a pastor his entire life. He never owned his own church but was very well-known. He was regarded as one of the best pastors in Nottoway County and Dinwiddy County for his sermons which he gave at four different churches within the two counties.

It was interesting to learn all of these interesting things about my family and the ancestry of Black people as a whole. In school we do Family tree’s and discuss the Reconstruction period and the Harlem Renaissance but we never really go that far back as to what events led up to prosperous African Americans we know today. I love learning new things and I absolutely enjoyed the presentation Dr. Washington gave us. It was interesting to hear how the events in Prince Georges County like the creation of these townships were similar to the ones my so many great Grandparents in Virginia witnessed being established in Virginia, Maryland’s neighbor.

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Learning Portuguese by Yasmin Eubanks (age 15)

 

Portuguese Lessons: Yasmin (upper left corner), Kenetia (left corner) Ms. Saldana (upper right corner) and Karima (right corner)

 In Culture Keepers we have the amazing opportunity to learn Portuguese. This is an amazing opportunity because Portuguese is not offered Suitland High School, the school we attend. We have been studying Portuguese for about 3 months. I think it is important that we learn Portuguese because when we go to visit the Ambassadors in Brazil we can fully experience their culture as well as their language.

            Learning Portuguese has been difficult for me because it is unlike any language I have learned. I have taken Spanish in school since the sixth grade, but comparing Portuguese and Spanish does not help, as I have figured out. Portuguese does not have the same pronunciation as Spanish or English, which makes it even more difficult. However, learning Portuguese is pretty fun because it is different and we can see our other club members learning the language[T1] .

            Having someone who knows Portuguese fluently helps a lot when learning it. Ms. Saldana is our Portuguese teacher and she speaks the language. This helps me because when I need to know a word I can ask Ms. Saldana and she can give me an answer. She also helps us with pronunciation, so we don’t look crazy trying to speak Portuguese.  

           I think learning Portuguese can be very educational and it is a skill that we can use in the future. For example, if we were ever to go back to Brazil without our Portuguese teacher we will be able to communicate with the people and have a good time. I am excited to learning more the rest of the year and go to Brazil to  test out all the Portuguese I learned in Culture Keepers.

-Yasmin Eubanks, 15

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We Learned about the Reconstruction Era

Culture Keepers watched first episode of a two part PBS series called Reconstruction: The Second Civil War . Keepers took notes and examined the nation post-Civil War (A brutal four year war over the annulment of slavery). Reconstruction was a twelve year period in which the people of United States were left to unite and relieve tensions between the northern states and the southern states. The southern states that had taken to Confederacy were to renounce their political title and rejoin the United States Union. Some southern states would not give up their place without a fight. Now emancipated, slaves we free to wander the nation as they please. However, white supremacists began to terrorize thriving black communities. Terrorist organizations, such as the Ku Klux Klan, would brutally slaughter any African American that attempted to voice their opinion and/or receive an education.

*Watch the film above*
 Written by: Naima Shaw; 11th Grade

How to build a community...it starts with Education!

Mattie Ridgely and her class at the Ridgley Rosenwald School in the 1940's located in Prince George's County Maryland. 

Primary School Children at the Maryland Normal and Industrial School, July 1918.  Photo from the Goodloe family archives. 

We are learning Porteguese!

Culture Keepers skyped with our school partners in Brazil (Onarin Koja) to talk about project and practice our Porteguese!

Guest Speaker Dr. Arvenita Washington Cherry

Lecture by Dr. Arvenita Washington-Cherry

Review by Jasmin Eubanks, Grade 10, Age: 14

"What is the African Diaspora?" 

The African Diaspora is the movement, scattering and dispersal of people (either forced or voluntary) from an ancestral homeland. The literal meaning of "diaspora" come from the Jewish people referring to their removal from their homeland.  PG Country was officially established in 1696. Most people might have thought that people coming from Africa to Colonial Maryland were slaves but most of the people coming were Indentured servants. An indentured servant is sort of like a slave but they work for there freedom from there masters. 

"What happened after Emancipation?" 

After slaves were free the first thing they would do was try to build communities of African American people. The major things these communities needed to thrive were church, education (schools),  and recreation. There were times when hate crimes tore down thriving black communities. Crimes like burning down houses and schools where black people were, lynching also took place. 

                                Dr. Arvenita Washington Cherry talks about the Freedman Settlements