Thursday, October 1, 2026
Teachers, administrators, students and their families filled the Performing Arts Center at Freeport High School on Feb. 10 for Freeport Public Schools’ annual district-wide Black History Month celebration. Hundreds of parents and family members filled the auditorium for the free event. The district has held the event since 2012.
Students from all grade levels in the district recited poems and performed cultural dances, songs and music, while artwork was on display in celebration of the accomplishments and progress of Black people in the United States and across the globe.
“In celebrating the diversity of our district, honoring Black history gives our students meaningful opportunities to better recognize the many contributions that have shaped our community,” Lynn Fusco, the school district’s director of arts and community relations, said. “Through music, spoken word, dance and visual art, students can connect to history in powerful ways, which reinforce the values of our respect, pride and unity.”
During the event, which began at 7 p.m., Vashti Burke, the program’s emcee, district music facilitator and music teacher at John W. Dodd Middle School, spoke about the importance of teaching students and their communities to not only cherish American Black history, stating that “Black history is global.”
The first school to perform during the program was the kindergarten chorus from Columbus Avenue School’s early childhood center. Under the direction of Christina Pesenti, the program’s youngest performers sang “Frederick Douglass,” a song by Karl Hitzemann about the American abolitionist and acclaimed author.
The next to perform were the Archer Street Cultural Dancers, who moved rhythmically to an Afro-Caribbean song, “One Love, One People: Bring the Beat,” by Machel Montano.
Third and fourth graders from the Glee Club of the New Visions School of Exploration and Discovery followed, singing “Blackbird” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The song was originally written and performed by The Beatles in 1968 and was intended as a hopeful anthem in support of the American civil rights movement, which was in full force at the time.
The program also featured two stepping performances, one by the Giblyn Hot Steppers of the Leo F. Giblyn School, and the other by The ATK Alphas from the Caroline G. Atkinson Intermediate School.
The John W. Dodd Middle School Select Chorale, under the direction of Sherill Spruill, sang a special arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” written by J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson, while students Isabel Arias, Dior Campbell, Chidimma Njoku and Joaquín Rodriguez recited Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise.”
The Freeport High School Modern Music Ensemble performed the jazz song “Maiysha” by Miles Davis, highlighting another era of Black music and art.
The Second Grade World Music Club of the Bayview Avenue School of Arts & Sciences performed a traditional song and dance from Tanzania, entitled “Maludeje.”
In addition to the great performances on stage, student artwork was displayed in the Freeport High School lobby. The physical artwork highlighted a variety of cultures, techniques and nature.
At the end of the program, Burke announced that many Freeport schools will put on their own Black History Month celebrations.
