Dr. Lawrence Jackson Addresses Students during Black History Month Assembly

Distinguished Black American Scholar Speaks during Black History Month Assembly

Sophomores from U.S. Government I and Juniors from U.S. Government II led the assembly for Black History Month. Students presented the projects they had completed in their respective social studies classes on significant Black Americans. This list included Jupiter Hammon, the first African American poet to be published; Scott Joplin, musician; Stokely Carmichael, prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement; and Mae Jemison, engineer, physician and NASA astronaut.

Following the student presentations, Dr. Lawrence Jackson, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at The Johns Hopkins University, addressed the student body. Dr. Jackson is an author and historian, and has done extensive work in drawing attention to the lives of Black Americans. He chronicled the life and escape from enslavement of Frederick Douglass, a social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman who was born in Maryland and eventually escaped enslavement.