Everybody knows the stories of Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson and George Washington Carver. But how many Americans can name three of the six African-American Academy Award winners and their winning movies?
Throughout America, Black History month closes in February. But for Charles Christian, every month is Black History Month.
The University of Maryland geography professor has parlayed his 1995 textbook, "Black Saga: The African-American Experience," into an annual scholastic challenge for Central Maryland elementary and middle schools.
Yesterday, the Academy Award question served as a chief hurdle when Christian tested more than 100 students in 13 schools from Baltimore, Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel and Howard Counties competing for trophies and cash prizes in the 6th annual Black Saga Competition. The goal, Christian said, is to make black history part of the mainstream American history curriculum.
"I think Black History Month is demeaning, as if you can tell the Black history story in one month," said Christian, a 25-year teaching veteran.
Christian should know. His voluminous 565-page textbook that one reviewer called "the most comprehensive history book about African-Americans to date" begins in 1492 in West Africa. Using bite-sized tidbits in chronological order, the book ends in 1994 with the Florida legislature agreeing to pay survivors of Rosewood, a black community burned down in 1923 -- and eight of its residents killed -- after a black man was falsely accused of raping a white woman.
The book information serves as the basis of the competition, where three-member teams put their heads together in an eight-round match. The students have 15 seconds to answer questions ranging from monumental historical black events such as the Dred Scott decision and the life of abolitionist Frederick Douglass to more modern milestones accomplished by people such as basketball star Julius Erving and Baltimore politicians Kurt L. Schmoke and Kweisi Mfume.
"To me, it shows that history isn't about a bunch of dead people," said Sharon Dow, whose 14-year-old son, Stanford, helped Baltimore County's St. Paul Regional Catholic School earn third place in the middle school competition. "It taught him facts about people that are alive and about events that didn't happen 300 years ago."
The event is a testimony to Christian's passion for black history. In addition to autographing books and serving as the polished emcee of the event -- including asking the questions -- much of the $2,100 in prize money comes straight out of Christian's pocket. Each member of the winning team earns $300 each. Members of the 2nd Place teams get $200, with third place winners earning $100 per person.
For students, the day is tense, much like a spelling bee, with tears and frowns created by disappointing losses. But because five of the 10 teams in each level receive trophies, many walk away happy.
"It was fun, but it was scary," Stanford Dow said after receiving his 3rd place trophy topped with the gold lamp of learning. "I learned a lot I didn't know about."
Murray Hill Middle School in Howard County won their portion of the contest while Beltsville Academic Center in Prince George's County captured the elementary school crown.
And the six black Academy Award winners and their movies? Hattie McDaniel ("Gone With the Wind"), Sidney Poitier ("Lilies of the Field"), Lou Gossett Jr. ("Officer and A Gentleman"), Denzel Washington ("Glory"), Whoopi Goldberg ("Ghost") and Cuba Gooding Jr. ("Jerry Maguire").
Pub Date: 3/21/99