To celebrate Black History Month, Hammond High School students created an assembly focused on the concept of the American Dream.
“Our goal for you today is to reflect on your own ancestors coming to the land of America,” said Abdul Malik Shuaib, Hammond’s Student Government Association president, during the assembly. “We ask that you pause to reflect on your own journey as you prepare to navigate the world in search of fulfilling your American Dream.”
Hammond High, located in Columbia, held its annual Black History Month assembly Friday afternoon to commemorate the history and achievements of black Americans.
Ekene Ezeh, president of Hammond High’s Alpha Achievers honor society, hopes his fellow classmates witnessed “the rich history of African Americans and how they have made an impact in our country and our world” during Friday’s assembly.
PJ Cayo, a Hammond freshman English teacher and adviser to the assembly, said this year’s American Dream theme came from having her students read Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing,” and then writing an essay on the American Dream.
The American Dream “is inclusive ... and everyone can achieve their dream,” Cayo said.
Throughout the assembly, short videos played during which various students and teachers answered questions about the American Dream, including “What does the American Dream look like to you?” and “What does the American Dream mean to you?”
Friday’s assemblies, held twice so the entire student population would be able to attend, featured an array of student performances from the jazz band, the string ensemble, the chamber choir and dancers from the school’s dance companies. A couple of students and staff sang, including Malcolm Washington, Hammond’s choir director.
Hammond’s advanced theater class performed Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America be America Again.” Hughes was a black poet and central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, when black culture blossomed across American cities in the 1920s, particularly in that New York City neighborhood.
Allison Alston, the student member of the Board of Education and a senior at Reservoir High, performed spoken word.
The assembly touched upon historical events, such as the Reconstruction era and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which declared that anyone born in the United States was a citizen, regardless of their race, skin color or previous condition.
Ezeh, 18, a senior at Hammond, spoke about the Divine Nine, the nine historically black Greek fraternities and sororities, during the assembly. The Divine Nine are: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc.
“We are all trying to make sure everyone is advocated for [at Hammond], especially black people and people of color.”
The Howard chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. — the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity founded for African American men at Cornell University — established Alpha Achievers, an educational program “targeting African American males” in high school to promote character growth, leadership skills and critical thinking, according to the chapter’s website. Alpha Achievers members must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average or higher, volunteer in their community and develop relationships with Howard middle schoolers.
The yearly assembly is student-led with help from teacher advisers, Cayo said.
“The students make it come to life," Cayo said. “Through the art and the talent of our students, they work tirelessly and it takes it [the assembly] to a new life.”
Each year, Hammond students leave the assembly with “a sense of pride,” she said.
Abdul Malik, 17, said in an interview, “We hope everyone feels represented at Hammond. We are all trying to make sure everyone is advocated for [at Hammond], especially black people and people of color.”