The Community Times Dispatch

On Friday, February 19, 2010, the hallways and classrooms of Black Street Early Childhood Center provided a pictorial view of many contributions made by Black people to help the United States of America become a great nation.

Several of the classrooms even provided live expression, recitation, or interaction with living historic icons. Students in Mrs. Cynthia Jones classroom interacted with local civil rights activists and Colleton County Councilman Mr. Floyd Buckner. Buckner was visually heralded the first Black publisher of a weekly newspaper in Colleton County. Students also learned that Buckner had a decorated background in education, farming, politics, and civic engagement.

Just across the hall in Ms. Mock’s class excitedly offered individual facts concerning the Ruby Bridges story. In fact, the class made a miniature model of the classroom and sidewalk with protesters, supporters and even the US Marshals that escorted Ruby Bridges in the classroom where she would be the sole student with a lone teacher.

Ms. McClellan’s students did take home projects with the parents and she reportedly had nine out of twelve students actually completed the project.

Students provided a display of some of the accomplishments of local Decorated Vietnam Veteran Orsie Green who normally has a smiling face around the school each day.

Around the corner, transitional pop icon and award-winning artist Tina Turner was the subject of attention. Groups of teachers and staff danced with the children to Turner’s tunes. Ms. Keisha Jones’ class watched US President Barack Obama’s national address to students and did the we love Michelle Obama.

Historic icons like; Jessie Owens, Honorable Clerk of Court Pat Grant, Dr. Cheryl Grant, George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Michael Jackson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Superintendent Leila Williams, Public Safety Chief Otis Rhodes, Phillip M. Taylor, Sr., Oprah Winfrey, Madam CJ Walker, Lonnie G. Johnson, Maya Angelou, Sojouner Truth, Garrett Morgan, Shirley Chisolm, Marjorie Joyner, Elijah McCoy, Dr. Ronald McNair, Langston Hughes, Michael Jordan, Cripus Attucks, Lewis Howard Latimer, Valerie Thomas, Elbert R. Robinson, Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Banneker, US Congressman James E. Clyburn, Fredrick Douglas, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, Carrie D. Meek, Jan Ernst Matzeliger, Dr. Patricia Bath and many other were highlighted throughout the school.