by Annalise G.
Black History is a month for people to fully allow themselves to engage in the history of Black heritage. Senior Maelee Henderson, founder and president of I Have A Dream Team, arranged for Pastor Franklin Hairston to make an appearance at Robert C. Byrd. Hairston led an assembly for the student body on Black history in West Virginia and provoked ideas on the significance of the month. Hairston brought many interesting historical facts to the assembly. It was eye-opening for the student body the significance of Black history in West Virginia; many had not realized West Virginia's important role in crafting the original Black History Week. Pastor Hairston did an exquisite job engaging the audience and teaching the student body not only significant facts about Black history but important things about the state in which we live.
Later in the day, Pastor Hairston visited Mr. Phillips AP Government class. It was an educational experience as Hairston and Phillips sat at the "table of brotherhood" and read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream" speech. After the presentation of the speech, Hairston was open to questions and had thoughtful discussions with the class as well. It was a great opportunity for the class to meet with such a knowledgeable figure in the community.
In addition, it was announced that new textbooks will be added to history courses and the curriculum. Text books devoted to Black history will be added to give students more knowledge of a subject that is under-represented in current history books. This is a step in the right direction.
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