Celebrating Black History Month at SRMS

Severn River Middle School has celebrated Black History Month by highlighting the historical accomplishments and contributions of African Americans.

Dena Sewell - ESOL teacher at Crofton, Arundel, and Central Middle schools - spoke to Elva Joyner’s Language Arts class last week about growing up in Alabama before and after the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Students were told about segregated public facilities, limited social contact between African-Americans and whites, and the advantages of living in a close-knit African-American community in Tuskegee.

Sewell also described the time when African-American students, including her sister, attempted to integrate one of the white public high schools, and the threats of violence to her community caused by such courageous participation in the Civil Rights Movement. 

Student Hunter Campbell recalled Sewall's comments about being at an all-black university community. "She was only outside of it a couple of times, so she inferred about white people, for example, the way they dressed, from shows on TV." 

Student Eric Jordan was struck by her description of the desegregation of schools. "When her sister and others went to the white school, no one was there--only the principal, who told them that the school was closed.  The whites were at the other two white schools.  So they split the group of African-American students and sent them to those two schools."

Also this week, the entire school was treated to an inspirational program from Tank Duckett, civil rights movement speaker and coach at the Severn School from 1992 to 2008.

SRMS also held a Scholastic Book Fair this week with a special mardi gras theme, highlighting the contributions of African American musicians and the start of jazz. 

The school's jazz band, under the director of instrumental music teacher Mike Tayman, performed a variety of well-known big band numbers, with students narrating the achievements of a variety of musicians, including Louie Armstrong and Duke Ellington. 

The concert also featured guest student musicians from the Broadneck High School Big Band, under the director of teacher Matt Heist, who delighted the crowd with a rousing rendition of "Basin Street Blues" and "Take 5."

"What a great evening of music," exclaimed principal June Eyet to the crowd as she congratulated students and their teachers for a job well done. 

Proceeds from the book fair will go into a special account for books in the media center that students themselves recommend. Each year, about 150 books are purchased through the program, according to Kathryn Kelchner, Media Center Director for SRMS.