2020 National Black History Month

Fontana Unified values the diversity of our students and

staff throughout the district. Through this diversity, our

students and staff have the opportunity to grow into

productive citizens who honor, respect, and value the

diversity of others. This month Fontana Unified has the

opportunity to explore “African Americans and the VOTE”,

the theme for the 2020 National Black History Month.

Each school has shared different activities and events

occurring throughout the month of February.

The year 2020 marks the centennial of the Nineteenth

Amendment and the culmination of the women’s suffrage

movement. The year 2020 also marks the

sesquicentennial of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) and

the right of black men to the ballot after the Civil War.

The theme speaks, therefore, to the ongoing struggle on

the part of both black men and black women for the right

to vote. This theme has a rich and long history, which

begins at the turn of the nineteenth century, i.e., in the

era of the Early Republic, with the states’ passage of laws

that democratized the vote for white men while

disfranchising free black men. Thus, even before the Civil

War, black men petitioned their legislatures and the US

Congress, seeking to be recognized as voters.

Tensions between abolitionists and women’s suffragists

first surfaced in the aftermath of the Civil War, while black

disfranchisement laws in the late nineteenth and early

twentieth centuries undermined the guarantees in the

Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments for the great

majority of southern blacks until the Voting Rights Act of

1965.

The important contribution of black suffragists occurred

not only within the larger women’s movement, but within

the larger black voting rights movement. Through voting-

rights campaigns and legal suits from the turn of the

twentieth century to the mid-1960s, African Americans

made their voices heard as to the importance of the vote.

Indeed the fight for black voting rights continues in the

courts today. The theme of the vote should also include

the rise of black elected and appointed officials at the local

and national levels, campaigns for equal rights legislation,

as well as the role of blacks in traditional and alternative

political parties.

Reprinted from www.asalh.org (Association for the Study

of African American Life and History)

Elementary Schools

Beech Avenue Elementary

Students at Beech Avenue Elementary school will be

celebrating African American History month using

primary source materials which illuminate black history

and African American scientific discoveries. Using the

core curriculum, we will discover our place in history.

We will read about great Americans like Marin Luther

King Jr, Harriet Tubman, and Ruby Bridges.

After studying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a

Dream" speech, students create pictures and writing

about their dreams for the future. Students will create a

short piece of writing to incorporate into a craft.

Students read and discuss several short poems by

Langston Hughes. They will reflect on their favorite

poems.

Older students will read news articles about Harriet

Tubman being the new face of the $20 dollar bill for the

100th anniversary of women’s right to vote.

Students will utilize 2 sources in a study of Martin

Luther King Jr. They will combine the information from

these two sources to answer the prompt, “What did Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr. do to help get equality for all

Americans?” Students will complete a character analysis

of Martin Luther King Jr. They will participate in a gallery

walk of quotes from the civil rights era. To conclude, they

will participate in discussion of famous Black Americans

who have made an impact on American History.

Writing will include character analysis, essays, and

reports about pioneers of the civil rights movement.

Students will practice speaking skills while presenting

their black history gallery walks and participating in class

discussion. Social studies will include investigating the

Civil Rights Movement and Harriet Tubman's

contributions to the Underground Railroad. We will

utilize primary source documents and do careful analysis

and draft essays to share our new learning. Visual and

performing arts will be integrated through picture

analysis, poster creation, reader’s theater, and

opportunities to experience jazz music lessons.

Kathy Binks Elementary

Teachers at Kathy Binks will discuss with students the

history of the African American vote and

compare/contrast history to the year 2020.

Canyon Crest Elementary

Students at Canyon Crest will be integrating Black History

month throughout all the grade levels. Various activities

include:

❖ Kindergarten: The Kindergarten team will listen

to a biography about Martin Luther King, Jr. and

answer comprehension questions about him.

Students will also create a picture of Dr. King

using construction paper, glue and scissors.

❖ First Grade: Students will learn about important

black leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and George

Washington Carver. Students will create thinking

maps about what they have learned about each

leader. They will also learn about the chosen

profession of each leader for career week.

Students will also be writing about a profession

that they would like to be and what their dreams

are.

❖ Second Grade: Will watch a video on Dr. Martin

Luther King, Jr. They will then have a discussion

and then write an essay about the Dr. King and

his impact on American History.

❖ Third Grade: Students will be watching several

videos about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as

a discussion about Black History Month from

Scholastic News. In addition, they will be doing a

research project about Dr. King.

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will read a different

story each day about historic achievements by

Black Americans. After each individual story,

they will hold class discussions about each story.

❖ Fifth Grade: For African American History Month

students will do a research project and an art

activity on inspiring African American achievers.

Students will select an African American achiever

from a list. They will research information about

their historical figure, create a poster with

information about them along with a drawing of

them. They will also create a poem about their

historical figure.

Chaparral Academy of Technology

At Chaparral Elementary there are many exciting things

happening at each grade level.

❖ Early Childhood Special Day Class: In our EC-SDC

classes, we will listen to a poem called “My own

two hands” and do an art project that entails

painting two hands around quotes from the

poem “My own two hands.” We will also listen

to and sing a song about Dr. Martin Luther King,

❖ Kindergarten: During Black History Month, we

will be learning about President Obama through

videos, literature, and informational texts. We

will research, create a Circle Map Thinking Map,

and then do a short writing piece. This will

create a valuable connection between Black

History Month and Presidents’ Day.

❖ First Grade: First grade will be researching (on

the Internet and by reading books) famous

historical figures, such as: Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr., Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver,

Harriet Tubman, and Ruby Bridges. They will be

writing down interesting facts that they learn

about each of these figures.

❖ Second Grade: For Black History Month,

students will read and answer comprehension

questions in Read Works about influential

African Americans. Students will also orally

present their writing about a famous African

American. As a class, they will complete an

African American History "Quilt" Poster.

Students will learn about Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr., using Easy Readers from the Social Studies

Curriculum. They will use grade level readers

from the curriculum to learn about Sojourner

Truth, MLK, Harriet Tubman, Maye Jemison, M.

M. Bethune, Rosa Parks, and George Washington

Carver. They will use these individuals for their

writing (two per week). Lastly, they will use a

"Holiday" Readers' Theater script for reading.

The script honors several different significant

African American individuals.

❖ Special Day Class: Students will divide into two

groups and will create posters about a notable

African American historical figure.

❖ Third Grade: Each student will pick a famous

African American to do a research project on.

Students will be reading passages about their

famous person, filling out a timeline and graphic

organizer, and creating a Sway presentation to

present to the class. Research topics will either

be on President Barack Obama, Frederick

Douglass, Harriet Tubman, or Rosa Parks.

Students will also be watching Little Rock, Civil

Rights Movement, Barack Obama Becomes

President, and Harriet Tubman on Discovery

Streaming Plus.

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will be reading Our

Friend Martin and discussing Dr. Martin Luther

King, Jr. They will also be reading several other

children’s books about famous African-

Americans or by African-American authors.

Afterwards they will be writing biographies.

First, they will gather facts on circle maps and

write a paragraph to share with their tablemates

and their parents about what they learned;

significant contributions; and why they should

be remembered. Students will then work on a

solo project at home: each student is gathering

research and writing a five-paragraph essay on a

famous African-American of their choice.

❖ Fifth Grade: Fifth graders will be working on

“Hero Spotlights” by utilizing informational

texts; this will cover multiple ELA standards.

They will be writing essays about famous African

Americans throughout history. Additionally, they

will be the working on a section in Wonders that

addresses the Civil Rights Movement.

Citrus Elementary

At Citrus Elementary each grade level has a separate

activity planned for their students:

❖ Kindergarten: Students will be creating, coloring

and reading a mini book on Dr. Martin Luther

King, Jr.

❖ First Grade: Students will be working on

Scholastic News January 2020 Edition 1 which is

about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It includes his

story, a video about his life and achievements

and it has a short video on a portion of his “I have

a dream” speech. The activities included with

this issue also includes comprehension questions

on the time life of events in Dr. Kings life, reading

checkpoint questions, and comprehension

questions.

❖ Second Grade: Students will be creating an

African American Mural in the cafeteria and then

have a critical thinking discussion in regard to the

impact and contributions of famous African

American to the country and the world including

the personalities featured in the mural.

❖ Third Grade: Students will be doing close reading

passages for famous Black Americans. These

include Barack Obama, MLK Jr., Sojourner Truth,

Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Frederick

Douglass, Harriet Tubman, George Washington

Carver. In addition, teachers will have a power

point that goes into the voting issues faced Black

Americans and how it affected voters.

❖ Fourth Grade: Each classroom will select one or

more texts to analyze and discuss with class.

Students will use thinking maps to capture the

details, facts, and opinions of the results of this

part of our American History.

❖ Fifth Grade: Students will be reading an article

on MLK and his “I Have a Dream” speech. They

will complete a timeline of MLK’s life and watch

a video on Discovery Streaming followed by a

classroom discussion of the events (March on

Washington, passing of the Civil Rights Act,

receiving the Nobel Peace prize).

❖ Sixth Grade: Students will be reading the poem:

Rosa (in our Study Sync curriculum) and then

look at the poetic structure of the poem.

Cypress Elementary

During the month of February, a famous African

American quote will be read every Monday during

Morning Announcements. A school-wide bulletin board

will be created with the theme “People Who Made a

Difference”. The bulletin board will be displayed in the

main student hallway.

Grade levels have the following activities planned:

❖ Kindergarten: Students will develop posters

depicting notable African-Americas in History

❖ First Grade: Students will watch videos and read

books about African Americans who played an

important role in the black voting rights

movement, completing multiple writing

assignments and concluding with an art project.

❖ Second Grade: Students will generate writing

samples along with presentations using Sway.

❖ Third Grade: Students will choose an African

American historical figure and create a speech to

inform their audience about that person’s

contribution to the black suffrage movement.

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will complete research

projects on the struggles both black men and

women endured for the right to vote after the

Civil War.

❖ Fifth Grade: Students will develop essays

focusing on black disfranchisement laws in the

late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Date Elementary

Date Elementary has scheduled their events throughout

the month of February. These events will be conducted

on a weekly base as different school-wide activities,

commemorating Black History Month.

❖ First Grade: Students will be using a packet that

highlights the life and accomplishments of

different African Americans. Within these

packets, there are opportunities for students to

practice close reading skills, create thinking

maps, and discuss the text/QAR.

❖ Second Grade: Students will be doing close

reading with ten informational passages about

the Heroes of the Underground Railroad and

taking the close reads to writing. Passage topics

include the following: The Underground

Railroad, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Samul Burris,

Levi Coffin, John Fairfield, Thomas Garrett, John

Parker, Rev. John Rankin, William Still, and

Harriet Tubman.

❖ Third Grade: Students will use a PowerPoint

presentation titled African Americans and the

Vote. The presentation addresses the voting

rights legislations and highlights two elected

officials and two appointed officials through the

use of multimedia. They also have a

performance task that addresses these sources.

Other activities are scheduled to support this

learning.

❖ Fourth grade: Students will give weekly class

discussions on African Americans and the Vote.

They will cover influential African Americans.

Time will be given for students to research this

topic and come to the discussions prepared with

comments, questions, and curiosities. Students

and teacher will take turns facilitating the

dialogue.

❖ Fifth grade: Students will involve students in a

research project where students will investigate

about non-famous African Americans as it

relates to Black history and the vote. Students

will participate in Readers' Theater

performances on this topic. They will follow-up

with art, music, and other theater activities.

Dolores Huerta International Academy

Scholars at Dolores Huerta International Academy will be

focusing on specific groups of influential African

Americans throughout history. At the end of the studies,

scholars will post their work for display in the Multi-

Purpose Room for viewing. Work will be posted in time

for viewing at Open House the last week of February

❖ Kindergarten: Scholars will focus on Martin

Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges.

❖ First Grade: Scholars will be focusing on

significant Authors.

❖ Second Grade: Scholars will then be researching

and learning about historic Artists.

❖ Third Grade: Influential leaders will be the focus

for the scholars in this grade level.

❖ Fourth Grade: Civil Rights Activists who made

impressions throughout history.

❖ Fifth Grade: Athletes will be the focus for

scholars.

❖ Sixth Grade: Scholars will be focusing on

successful Inventors in sixth grade.

Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy

Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy will have the honor

of participating in the City of Fontana’s Black History

Month Parade at the end of the month. All students &

families are welcomed & encouraged to participate. In

addition, some students will be writing essays, creating

posters, reciting poetry, creating artwork and reading

about monumental figures that have paved the way or

made a difference in the history of African Americans.

Juniper Elementary

Juniper Elementary will pay homage to Black History

Month engaging students in several activities.

❖ Teachers will work with students on creating an

“I Have a Dream” chain. Students will be

provided with construction paper strips to write

their dream on. These will then be linked

together and displayed in the cafeteria. Each

grade level will be represented by a different

color.

❖ A “My Dream is...." wall be designed in the

cafeteria.

❖ Each Friday students will have weekly facts or

about important African American figures

shared with them.

Live Oak Elementary

Students will be involved in writing activities regarding

the work of Dr. MLK Jr., - Artistic representations,

discussion on what fairness means, and read alouds.

Locust Elementary

Teachers will be teaching black history month lessons

and students will be writing and/or creating art.

Mango Elementary

Mango Elementary will participate in an interactive

voting assembly that provides students with an

interactive experience of the injustices African

American’s endured during their journey “To the Vote”.

Maple Elementary

Students at Maple Elementary will be involved in

multiple activities throughout the school site:

❖ Kindergarten and First Grade: Students will

read/be read to about Martin Luther King Jr.

Who was he? Why was he important? What was

lifelike back when he was fighting for civil rights?

Students will read the poem “Martin’s Dream”

and be asked if they think his dream was a good

one to have? Should we fight for what we believe

in? What freedoms do we have today? Students

will then discuss laws, rules, equality, voting,

using a classifying thinking map…discuss the

following and put the ideas onto the thinking

map.

❖ Second Grade: Students will learn the

importance of voting and be able to explain

different governmental institutions and

practices in the United States and other

countries. Ways students will learn this process

is by reading and discussing “The Election

Process”, “The First Election” and then have a

critical conversation about the fact that only

white men could vote in the first election, and in

elections for nearly 100 years after that.

Students will also discuss the 15th Amendment,

be given a brief history of the civil war and how

Americans were fighting to make everything fair

for African Americans

❖ Third Grade: Students will read picture book,

Papa’s Mark, and discuss about voting. They will

then create an art Collage of famous people +

reading articles about each person + vote on

most influential + bar graph for student votes

❖ Fourth and Fifth: Students will read and analyze

the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and discuss why

this act was needed despite the existence of the

15th Amendment. The culminating activity will

then be to ask the students to respond to the

"What I Know" column on their KWL chart (pdf)

about the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After they

have completed this task, the teacher will play

the We will culminate the videos and activities

by creating a one pager that includes drawings

and sequential information that led up to and

beyond the Voting Rights act.

North Tamarind Elementary

On the first Monday of February students will come to

the MPR at their respective grade level times and

participate in an event called African American Read In.

This event was created by the Black Caucus for the

purpose of introducing literature from black authors to

people. Students will enjoy stories read to them by the

principal.

Oak Park Elementary

During announcements Oak Park will share

accomplishments of prominent African Americans

throughout the month during their morning

announcements and Friday assemblies. Each grade level

has exciting projects planned for their students.

❖ Kindergarten: Student will read “Let’s Vote on

It”, “Rosa Parks”. Students will then create

Circle Maps and create Flow Charts on the text

read in class.

❖ First Grade: Students will have a lesson on

Martin Luther King, Jr. to “find out how this

famous American helped change our country.”

Follow up with an exercise on “Fairness” in

different situations and write about how he

changed life for all Americans.

❖ Second Grade: Students will read a text about

Martin Luther King then create a foldable to

organize the information we learned about

MLK. Then discuss the role he played to change

America including voting rights.

❖ Third Grade: Student will read an essay on

Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks and compare

and contrast the two women. They will sort facts

about both women and chart similarities and

differences. They will then take the information

and make a double bubble map and use this

information to write a multi-paragraph essay

comparing the two women.

❖ Fourth and Fifth Grades: Students will read an

excerpt from MLK “I Have a Dream…” speech and

watch a video of him when he was younger.

Students will then have the opportunity to

discuss events in his time that led to his famous

speech and then listen to the audio of the speech

and discuss similarities of events in his time with

those of today. They will write a draft, share, and

discuss ideas for their own “I have a Dream…”

speech and paint a multi-shaded portrait of MLK

that is symbolic of his representation of people

of all races.

Oleander Elementary

Oleander Elementary students will be completing the

following:

❖ Black History Research Papers

❖ Timeline of important Black History events

❖ Lapbook Biography Projects

❖ African American Hero Puppets

❖ MLK writing Projects

Palmetto Elementary

Palmetto students and teachers have a variety of events

scheduled:

❖ Kindergarten: Students will engage in read-a-

loud activities, and do an art project around “I

have a dream”

❖ First Grade: Students will create a mural of Black

Leaders and narrative writing on Martin Luther

King, Jr.

❖ Second Grade: Students will read on famous

African Americans and conduct research on

famous African American leaders.

❖ Third Grade: Students will read a poetic

biography on Martin Luther King, Jr. Create an “I

Have A Dream” art project and write a narrative

writing piece

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will conduct research

and have a discussion on civil rights around

African Americans. Students will have student

led discussions about the topic and collaborative

activities about what they learned.

❖ Fifth Grade: Research project on famous African

American leaders from the 19th-21st century.

Presentations on their projects industry.

Students will gather information from videos and

articles. Students will then write informative

essays. interactive museum.

Poplar Elementary

Grade levels at Poplar Elementary will be focusing on the

following activities:

❖ Pre- School: Students will be shown a picture

next to the calendar displaying African American

people and every Friday the teacher will read a

book where with African American characters or

as the main character.

❖ Transitional Kindergarten: Students will be

studying several people for black history month

including Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, George

Washington Carver just to name a few. Students

will do all kinds of activities including read books,

find sight words, comprehension activities.

❖ Kindergarten: Students will be read to regarding

the biography of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and

a follow up activity that entails the creation of a

paper plate world either by painting or coloring

The Earth and on the back a writing prompt, “We

learned about Dr. King’s dream, tell me what is

your dream?”

❖ First Grade: Students will be learning about and

writing text regarding famous African

Americans. The notables include Martin Luther

King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, George

Washington Carver, Mae Jemison, Jackie

Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall.

❖ Second Grade: Students will have books read to

them that include, “My Brother Martin” by

Christine King Farris, “Martin’s big Words” by

Doreen Rappaport, and “I Have a Dream: The

Story of Martin Luther King” by Margaret

Davidson. Additional resources shared within

class include: Videos on Discovery Education,

YouTube and quick write that asks students,

“Why do you think Martin Luther King, Jr. was a

hero?”

❖ Third Grade: Students will do a writing and

creative art activity on Martin Luther King Jr.

This will include a “I wish for the world…” writing

based on his famous speech. Also, students will

do a research project on a famous African

American woman and do a sway presentation on

her.

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will create a map with

the locations of safe houses, the UGRR and to

write short biographies identifying the part that

important people had in the success of the

underground railroad. We are currently doing

the Little Rock Nine info to narrative writing, and

we will be plotting the underground railroad and

writing letters to Harriet Tubman.

❖ Fifth Grade: Students will be learning about

Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Mae

Jenison. Students will also learn about a famous

African American musician or singer every day

from all genres including jazz, blues, soul, rock,

and pop.

❖ Sixth Grade: Students will be learning about

black Americans (i.e. Harriet Tubman, Sojourner

Truth, Marian Anderson, Jackie Robinson, Mae

Jemison, George Washington Carver)

throughout the month of February.

Furthermore, during their library period the

teacher will read a book about African -

Americans (i.e. Ruby Bridges, John H. Johnson) to

the Poseidon group.

❖ SDC: Students will read their News 2 You article

about important African American leaders and

contributors and do the accompanying activities,

including comprehension questions for the

article, a related craft and vocabulary

identification.

❖ Choir: The Choir will learn and sing songs such

as: When the Saints Go Marching In, Wade in the

Water, We Shall Overcome, The Ballad of the

Underground Railroad, and Follow the Drinking

Gourd.

Ted Porter Elementary

At Porter Elementary there are many exciting activities

occurring at school wide. Students will be discussing the

below themes and completing the following activities

throughout all grade levels:

❖ Social Justice, diversity, equality

❖ Martin Luther King, Jr.

❖ Essential Question: What was Martin Luther King

Jr.’s dream?

❖ Student writing: What is your dream for the

world?

❖ Create classroom bulletin board “I Have a

Dream”.

❖ Learning about differences

❖ Color mixing for skin tones

❖ Read and share stories of other historical figures

(Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, Harriet Tubman,

George Washington Carver etc.)

❖ View videoclips, read books about historical

figures and current figures, classroom

discussions, and journal writing.

❖ With teacher guidance, students will read and

complete a foldable book for each of the

following individuals- Harriet Tubman, Garrett

Morgan, Booker T. Washington, Rosa Parks,

Ruby Bridges, Harriet Tubman, George

Washington Carver, Oprah Winfrey, Jackie

Robinson, Sojourner Truth, Michelle and Barak

Obama

❖ Students will work in cooperative groups to

answer comprehension questions about the

articles.

❖ Student Writing: “What is your dream for our

world?”

❖ Students will read two articles on Maya Angelou

and Michelle Obama

❖ Complete “All About Maya Angelou/Michelle

Obama” worksheet

❖ With a partner, students will complete a

timeline.

❖ Novel Study: Elijah of Buxton

❖ Mini Bio: Frederick Douglas and The

Underground Railroad

Virginia Primrose Elementary

Students at Primrose Elementary will have the

opportunity to participate in a variety of projects

throughout the month of February. They include:

❖ Kindergarten: Students will discuss Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr. and discuss the history of how

schools were very different many years ago.

They will also discuss why Dr. Martin Luther King

Jr. was a such an important part of our history.

They will complete an activity packet that the

students will do in class and took take home to

share with their families.

❖ First Grade: Students will create a book. It will

take the entire month and will contain 10 African

Americans.

❖ Second Grade: In Social Studies, we are studying

about Martin Luther King Jr. life and the civil

rights. We are doing a timeline of his life.

❖ Third Grade: Students will create a human

timeline portraying the sequence of Civil Rights

in regard to voting and laws passed for African

Americans.

❖ Fourth and Fifth Grade: Students will be doing a

research paper on a Black American who had an

impact on the STEM field and then make a 2-liter

bottle representation of the person.

❖ Special Education: Students will be coloring

pictures to go along with a paragraph about their

contributions to our country. These will be

displayed on their board. Students will also read

multicultural stories and create a multicultural

art piece. They will focus on how Martin Luther

King Jr. helped to see that it is important that we

celebrate our differences and learn from the vast

varieties of cultures to be a better society.

Randall Pepper Elementary

Randall Pepper Elementary will be integrating variety of

activities into their classroom instruction throughout the

month of February. Students will be writing essays,

creating stories and illustrations based on their

knowledge of the many influential people from the

African American community. Biographies will be read

and written by students as well. The school’s librarian

will have lecture series on famous African American

people in history. Students will also have access to

resources in the classroom and library to further support

their knowledge of the rich history and roles of the

African American culture.

Redwood Elementary

During the month of February, Redwood students will

research African American famous inventors. As a

culminating project, students will create a display board

or visual project representing their chosen inventor.

Redwood will then set-up all projects in the Parent

Center room #19 as well as in the campus display cases.

Shadow Hills Elementary

Shadow Hills Elementary has a variety of activities

scheduled throughout all their grade levels throughout

the month of February.

❖ Kindergarten: students will read books about Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr. and will make headbands

that say, "I have a dream." Students will have a

class discussion on what their dreams will be for

the world.

❖ First Grade: Students will create a class book

based on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote: "I

have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great

a burden to bear." Students each write a page in

the book.

❖ Second Grade: Students will be reading several

texts about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and

watching a short movie about him. They'll be

working on a map of his famous march and a

picture sequence of the Montgomery Bus

Boycott. Finally, they'll write an essay

summarizing it all.

❖ Third Grade: Students will do reading stations

about heroes throughout history. Books include:

Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights,

Harriet Tubman, Hidden Figures, Jesse Owens,

Henry's Freedom Box, The Boy Who Harnessed

the Wind, and Jackie Robinson, Sisters &

Champions: The True Story of Venus and Serena

Williams, Chase Space: Young Reader's Edition-

Leland Melvin. Then students will write an

informational article about a hero who inspires

them.

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will be making a

biography quilt. This will consist of the students

reading about an influential African American,

such as: leaders, authors, scientist and sports

heroes. They will write why that person is

influential. They will also take that information

and create a PowerPoint and present their

information to the class.

❖ Fifth Grade: Students will research historically

black colleges. Each student will then create a

PowerPoint on his/her college and present to

others.

Sierra Lakes Elementary

Sierra Lakes Elementary has integrated activities

throughout all their grade levels throughout the month

of February.

❖ Library: Each week the librarian will be reading

a different book, about black people and the

right to vote and after reading, there will a

different activity.

• Week 1: Students will watch a brief video

on the history channel of the voting rights

act of 1965, We will discuss brown vs The

Board of Education

• Week 2: Students will decorate posters

supporting that cause.

• Week 3: Students will learn how to fill out a

ballot and actually vote.

• Week 4: Students will review and discuss

the actual results of Brown vs. Board of

education.

• Kindergarten students will be assigned an

African American who has made a significant

contribution to our society. The project includes:

• Students will bring a visual display or

dress up like their historical figure.

• Students will use a paragraph structure

to demonstrate knowledge of 3 facts

about their historical figure. They can

answer the questions below as part of

their paragraph:

▪ Who are you?

▪ What did you do to contribute to

black history?

▪ How did your contribution

improve the lives of people?

▪ How do we use your

contribution today?

• Students will create a book page

detailing their historical figure. The page

should contain 2 visuals and the

student’s paragraph. The page should

feature the assigned letter, and

paragraph should begin with this letter.

The class will create an “ABCs of Black

History” Book.

• Students will present their historical

figure to the class. The student should be

able to recite 3 facts about their figure.

❖ First Grade: Students will concentrate on African

American activities that will be literature-

based. Among the books that we will be reading

include:

• A Sweet Smell of Roses

• Amelia to Zora

• A Picture Book of Sojourner Truth, Freedom

on the Menu

• Free to Fly

❖ Second Grade students will be studying African

American inventors. These are some of the

inventors’ students will be reading about and

discussing how their inventions changed the world.

Each inventor's page includes background

information, a description of the invention, and a

"Did You Know?" fact.

• Alexander Miles, who improved the

safety of elevators

• Elijah McCoy, the "real McCoy," whose

invention allowed trains to run more

efficiently

• Lewis Latimer, whose bright invention

made the lightbulb more practical

• Jan Ernst Matzeliger, the creator of a

shoemaking machine the revolutionized

the industry

• Granville T. Woods, the inventor of a

train-to-train communication system

• George Washington Carver, an

agricultural expert who advised

President Theodore Roosevelt

• Madam C. J. Walker, a businesswoman

who became one of America's first self-

made female millionaires

• Garrett Morgan, the creator of the gas

mask and the first traffic signal with

three commands

• Dr. Charles Richard Drew, who saved

thousands of lives with his invention for

improving blood banks

• Otis Boykin, whose work in electronics

resulted in a resistor that made

electronic devices cheaper and more

reliable

• James E. West, who invented

microphone technology

• Dr. Patricia Bath, an ophthalmologist

whose surgical tool revolutionized eye

surgery

• Lonnie G. Johnson, a NASA engineer and

the inventor of the world-famous Super

Soaker!

• Mark Dean, who co-invented the

personal computer

❖ Third Grade: Students will be reading using

three ReadWorks passages and questions from

their Famous African Americans articles. They

will be reading about:

• Thurgood Marshall

• Jackie Robinson

• Oprah Winfrey

In addition, students will write short answer

responses to questions for each article.

Students will also be reading a ReadWorks

article about Ruby Bridges' role in the end of

segregation

in schools, in

1960.

Students will

compare this

article to an

article about

women

getting the right to vote in 1920. In addition,

students will also be reading the following

picture books during African American History

Month:

• Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the

Sky by Faith Ringgold

• From Slave to Soldier by Deborah

Hopkinson

• More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby

▪ This story is about an

African American boy who

works in the salt mines

from sunup to sundown but

because of his

determination and

dedication, he still manages

to fulfill his dream of

learning to read.

❖ Fourth Grade: Students will be learning about

famous African Americans through literature.

Some of the famous African American’s

included in the area of literature and

comprehension specifically focus on:

• Misty Copeland (principal ballerina to

ABT)

• George Washington Carver (scientist)

Students will also view glyphs and listen to

songs written by different African Americans

such as:

• Scott Joplin (musician)

• Michael Jackson (musician)

• Billie Holiday (musician)

❖ Fifth Grade student will be focusing on the

following activities:

• "The Green Book": Use close reading

strategies to read the article. Use the

information from the green book to plan a

trip as an African American in the early

1900s.

• Virtual Field Trip: Students will tour the

Smithsonian National Museum of African

American History and Culture. Afterwards,

they will write an opinion paragraph about

the exhibit that they found to be most

impactful.

• Work in small groups to create a collage

identifying and celebrating African

American’s lives and contributions.

• Design a door decoration that brings

awareness and creativity to the celebrations

of Black History month.

• Review informational articles included in

Scholastic News and respond to the opinion

writing section and watch accompanying

videos.

South Tamarind Elementary

South Tamarind students will be celebrating Black

History Month by completing the following activities:

❖ The library will have books and posters displayed

celebrating the month. The librarian will read a

story to each class, during library time, about the

significance of Black History Month. The MPR will

have posters displayed.

❖ TK – First Grade: Students will be read a story

about an African American historical figure. They

will then create a class circle map and drawing a

picture of the person.

❖ Second and Third Grade: Students will be

creating a poster with a writing piece regarding

the African American historical figure chosen.

They will present the poster to their class.

❖ Fourth and Fifth Grade: Students will be writing

an essay using Thinking Maps and Write from the

Beginning strategies about an African American

Historical figure.

Tokay Elementary

The school kicked off Black History by having 3rd grade

students perform " Ayanna the Great" and sing at our

monthly assembly. Students will be analyzing poems,

learning songs and having class discussions about

prominent African Americans. In addition, many classes

will use thinking maps, write informational essays and

give oral presentations to learn about important

historical figures and events to celebrate the month.

Classrooms will display various art projects and history

quilts that students will produce as a result of their

learning. Lastly, the student council will highlight a daily

famous African American Person in the morning

announcements.

West Randall Elementary

West Randall will celebrate by honoring the

accomplishments of many historical figures. Grade levels

also have the following activities planned:

❖ Kindergarten: Students will create door display

as a group project.

❖ First Grade: Students will research Martin Luther

King, Jr., using scholastic news and other related

text to create a tri-fold informational pamphlet.

❖ Second Grade: Students will read and

understand Martin Luther King’s Jr.’s, I Have A

Dream speech. They will then practice and recite

parts of the speech.

❖ Third Grade: Students will write a biography

about a noteworthy African Americans who

supported the right to vote. Students will use

the Write from the Beginning/Thinking Map

Process.

❖ Fourth Grade: 4th grade student group will use

Close Read strategies to analyze text about

Fannie Lou Hamer.

❖ Fifth Grade: Students will conduct a research

projected about Fredrick Douglas.

❖ Sixth Grade: This group of students will

participate in a Black History Month writing

competition. In addition, sixth grade classes will

annotate the I Have A Dream speech and watch

a video presentation of the speech, as well. They

will then compare/contrast the emotional

impact of each mediums.

Middle Schools

Alder Middle School

Alder promotes National African American History

Month through the implementation of subject specific

activities within several departments:

❖ ELA: Students will be writing about Civil Rights

activists and prominent African American

individuals through quick writes and essay

writing contests.

❖ Social Science: Courses will be covering the Civil

Rights Movement through the month of

February. Specific culminating presentations

and projects will be completed by the students.

In addition, some courses will be focusing and

highlighting the impact and contributions of

African Americans within US and World History.

❖ Art: art topics for the month of February include

creating artwork of heroes within the African

American community and highlighting their

contributions.

Almeria Middle School

Black History Month at Almeria Middle will focus on

Leadership, African Americans and the Vote. We will

accomplish this by collaborating with each of our POD

Leadership teams. Each POD Leadership team will

choose a different Black American Leader. Then the POD

teams will research their selected individual, finding out

as much information about them as they can. Next each

POD Leadership team will create a political campaign for

this individual. The teams are encouraged to develop

flyers, posters, buttons, be creative, spread the word

about how awesome their candidate is, and to display

their propaganda all around campus and in the school

library. Get the word out to everyone about the

wonderful things this individual’s done, help to raise

awareness. Finally, Almeria’s vote will be on Friday,

February 28th students will be encouraged to visit the

library, or one of the polling booths on campus to vote

for their favorite Black American Leader. The votes will

be tallied, and the winner will be announced the

following school day.

In addition to the above, Almeria has asked our students

to volunteer and be part of the Cultural Celebrations

Team. The group consists of 19 volunteers who meet

weekly to generate student-led activities for students.

Students are empowered to work collaboratively,

enhance communication skills, and be as creative as

possible when developing ideas and planning the

execution of the activities. Students will develop 9 to 10

different activities to engage our student body on

campus. Each table booth has a display board describing

the activity and the history behind it. All the booths are

student ran. Some activities include crafts, music,

games, and historical/popular ethnic sample beverage

and/or sample of a popular ethic snack. The Cultural

Celebration team work collaboratively the ASB students

and Renaissance students to make banners, posters,

morning announcements, etc. that will also contribute to

Black History celebration.

Fontana Middle School

Fontana Middle School will honor Black History Month in

the following format:

❖ The School Secretary will share a little-known

Black History fact daily during morning

announcements.

❖ The librarian will set up a feature table with

African American authors for student to check

out.

❖ Social Studies teachers will set aside time to

discuss elements of Black History Month with

their students including, slavery, civil rights, and

important scientists, inventors, entertainers,

and athletes that impacted their filed.

❖ Various teacher will set up thematic bulletin

boards commemorating important Black

Historical Figures.

Wayne Ruble Middle School

Wayne Ruble Middle School students are participating in

an African American History Museum! During the month

of February, students are encouraged to create a project

about African American inventors, architects, scientists,

doctors, politicians, fashion, sports, food, etc. Our school

librarian is promoting research and reading to encourage

students to seek out African Americans whose

contributions have been less known, but equally as

impactful to our world! Social Studies teachers will be

highlighting "Black Moments in History" throughout the

month of February. Wayne Ruble Middle School will also

be hosting the February meeting for the District African

American Parent Advisory Committee (DAAPAC) on

February 13, 2020 @ 6pm. The meeting will feature our

own WRMS Choir singing the Black National Anthem,

student dancers from our WRMS & A.B. Miller Dance

Academy, a student performing a "Moment in Black

History" & sharing of student projects from various

schools in Fontana Unified School District.

Sequoia Middle School

Sequoia Middle School will be integrating variety of

activities into the school setting throughout the month

of February:

❖ The librarian will set up a feature table with

African American authors for student to check

out and spotlight literatures.

❖ Social Studies teachers will be sharing concept of

to discuss elements of Black History Month with

their students.

❖ English Language Arts teachers will also be

incorporating Black History elements within

their curriculum.

❖ During our Eagles time news broadcasts there

we also be included elements of Black History

content.

Southridge Tech Middle School

Southridge Tech Middle School will be holding our

Annual Black History Celebration and Awards Ceremony,

February 28, 2020 during the day. In honor of Black

History Month, the awards for each discipline and/or

program have been named after prolific African

Americans who have made significant contributions to

our country. The awards celebrate their persistence,

creativity, resilience, knowledge, and diversity. The

Southridge faculty has selected students because they

have exhibited qualities of one or more of these heroes.

The event will recognize student academic achievement

and growth over the first semester. Students will be

receiving one or more of the following awards at our

mid-year awards:

❖ Excellence in English Language Arts

❖ Excellence in Artistic Expression

❖ Excellence in Mathematics

❖ Excellence in Technology

❖ Excellence in Social Studies

❖ Excellence in Orchestra and Band

❖ Excellence in Science

❖ Excellence in Academics

❖ Excellence in Athletics

❖ Excellence in Community Service

❖ Excellence in Vocal Music

❖ Excellence in Leadership and School Service

We are very excited to recognize the amazing students

we have at Southridge Tech Middle School for their hard

work, dedication, character, and responsibility.

We are also planning to have Step Teams and Programs

visit during lunch time to promote awareness and

celebrate African American Culture.

Harry S. Truman Middle School

Truman Middle School will have the library create a

timeline display depicting the progress for African

Americans right to vote, including a slide show and

books and biographies on the topic selected for

browsing.

High School

Eric Birch High School

Eric Birch High School is excited to celebrate African

American History Month. We have the following learning

opportunities planned:

❖ Junior English: The focus of the unit is on free

market of ideas, journalism, and free press.

Students will be reading and analyzing some

current event news articles that incorporate the

learning targets. For African American History

month, students will read an article associated

with the celebration of African American History

in different places in the nation and how it

represents our free press in America.

❖ US History: Students will be learning about the

U.S. involvement in WWII. During this unit

students will learn about topics related to

African American History such as the Tuskegee

Airmen, Doris Miller, and African American

women joining the workforce to help war

production. Students will also begin a unit on the

Civil Rights Movement which focuses on changes

in the United States brought on by African

American civil participation. During this unit

students will explore how nonviolent protests

conflicted with more extreme forms of protest.

The main avenue for this will be through

evaluating primary source readings from both

Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. and

identifying differences in their philosophies.

❖ Physical Science: Students will read and discuss

biographies of African American Scientists.

❖ Government: Students will have lesson

presentations on the history of, “Separate but

Equal Civil Rights,” including Dred Scott v.

Sanford, Jim Crow Laws, Plessy v. Ferguson, and

Brown v. Board of Education. Students will also

have a presentation on the history of Hip-Hop

and African American Inventors.

❖ Morning Announcements – Announcements will

be read highlighting key figures and events in

African American History.

Citrus High School

Citrus High School will be doing the following activities

for Black History Month

❖ English classes will be implementing learning

activities around the First Amendment and

studying Critical Race Theory as a supplemental

resource to Othello.

❖ Bulletin Announcements – CHS will highlight 14

people throughout the month who broke color

barriers to become the first Black Americans to

achieve historic accomplishments in politics,

academics, aviation, entertainment and more.

❖ Social Studies classes will be playing the video

and/or audio recordings of Dr. Martin Luther

King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Students will

conduct learning activities around influential

African American figures in Government and

influential African American figures in the area of

Economics.

❖ ASB activities throughout the month will include

trivia questions during lunch for a silicone wrist

band and MLK posters will be posted by the

ASB/Student Store

❖ Art students are working on an abstract- surreal

painting that conveys a positive image/ historical

person for National African-American History

Month

Fontana High School

Fontana High School has the following events and

activities scheduled throughout the month of February:

❖ ASB will read the daily bulletin to include quotes,

accomplishments, contributions noting the

achievements of notable African Americans.

❖ The school librarian will gather and display books

about influential African Americans to

encourage students to learn more about them to

celebrate Black History month. In addition, they

will compile a list of additional resources and

internet links to further students and staff’s

knowledge of the impact they have made on our

society.

❖ Individual classrooms have different

assignments on famous African Americans that

include essays, posters, projects, etc.

Jurupa Hills High School

Jurupa Hills has a variety of different events occurring in

the month of February. The library staff is in the process

of creating small posters of African Americans in each of

the United States’ wars from the American Revolution to

the Global War on Terror. These posters will circle the

room, on the end caps of tall bookshelves, in

chronological order.

❖ English Language Arts & ELD: Historical

Presentations will be a part of the upcoming

embedded assessment. The theme of the

current unit of study is centered around the civil

rights movement.

❖ Math: Classes will be displaying poster of Black

mathematicians throughout the J Building with a

small write-up of each one’s contribution to

society.

❖ Social Studies:

• World Geography will utilize political

cartoons and historical quotes (primary

sources) to bring about class-wide

discussion on the experience of Black-

Americans in the month of February.

This will highlight how race and

socioeconomic status and conflicts for

equality are prevalent not just in the US

but also every region of the world,

throughout history." During their unit,

there will be a lesson that focuses

addresses and focuses on those themes.

• In Government students will discuss the

15th Amendment and lessons about the

Women’s Suffrage Movement and their

fight for equality not only for women,

but all races.

• In economics students will discuss the

income gap among races in America and

possible cause and effect which has led

to African Americans being the least

earning race in the US. Ethnic Studies

will be focusing an entire unit on the

African American experience in the U.S.

including history and the current

personal, economic, and political issues

facing society.

• World history students will research 3

African American women who worked

as engineers for NASA during the 1950s

and beyond. Recently they became

better known as the "Hidden Figures"

ladies who, among other things, helped

U.S. astronaut John Glenn orbit the

earth during the Cold War-Mary Jackson,

Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy

Vaughan. Students choose 1 of the 3 and

report on her challenges and

accomplishments at NASA by

completing a 12x18 "Character Sensory

Map." This assignment is completed

from the perspective of the historical

figure. Facts incorporated/sentiments

expressed must begin in the following

way: I see, I feel, or I hear (using 3 of the

5 senses). The assignment includes a

hand-drawn image of the historical

figure.

• U.S. History will be discussing the

Harlem Hellfighters, civil rights leaders,

A. Philip Randolph and advances for

blacks during this time, executive order

8066 allowing equality in Federal jobs.

The unit on World War ll will be covered

and will incorporate “minorities in the

service”.

• Other classes will be sharing on the

military discrimination and the success

of the Tuskegee Airman (99

Pursuit

Squadron)

❖ World Language and ELD: Students will be

incorporating Black History Month by discussing

African culture/heritage in the Americas.

Students will then complete a Notable African

Americans Infographic project.

❖ Art: Students will be creating an American Flag

inspired by an influential African American

person from the past or present

Henry J. Kaiser High School

Henry J. Kaiser High School has a variety of different

activities for students, teachers, and parents occurring

in the month of February. Henry J. Kaiser High School

has a variety of whole school activities planned to

include:

❖ During morning announcements, Kaiser ASB will

recite quotes from prominent/influential

African American leaders throughout history.

❖ ASB will display prominent African American

leaders throughout the campus with a brief

historical biography.

❖ The Kaiser Cat News will interview staff and

students are the importance of Black History

month and telecast clips during Wednesday’s

morning announcements.

❖ Kaiser Administration will host our 3rd Annual

Black History Month Celebration on February 24

@ 6:00pm in our MPR for Kaiser and feeder

school students and parents. It will be a fully

catered dinner, guest speakers and raffle prizes

As well as school wide activities, content and core

subjects have the following activities planned:

❖ U.S. History:

• Primary Source Lessons: Creation of a

Memory Book

▪ Historical figure in American

history

▪ Research relevant information

(print/image) of the selected

individual and their role

historical role

▪ Identify the individual’s cultural

and political impact in history

▪ Creation of a class memory

book

❖ World History

• Primary Source Lesson

▪ Civil Disobedience

▪ Definition and

examples of civil

disobedience

throughout history

▪ Group base activity

▪ Read and annotate

“Outside the box, Civil

Disobedience

▪ Complete compare and

contrast chart

▪ Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr.

vs. Mahatma

Gandhi

❖ AP Human Geography:

• Questions:

▪ Describe the current

distribution of African

Americans in the United States.

▪ Discuss how interregional and

intraregional migration has

affected the distribution of

African Americans

▪ Explain the impact of

segregation laws upon African

Americans in the U.S. and

blacks in South Africa.

▪ Important vocabulary:

▪ U.S. Civil War/Post-

World War I

▪ Sharecropper

▪ Ghettos

▪ White flight

▪ Blockbusting

▪ Jim Crow laws

▪ Apartheid

❖ CP/AP Government:

• AP government's lesson will center

around Dr. King's "Letter from a

Birmingham jail.

We will:

▪ read the document

▪ discuss the document in

historical perspective

▪ identify elements of American

political culture Dr. King uses to

makes his points

❖ World Language: Spanish

• In relation to our current themes (and

current events), students will be

analyzing, investigating and presenting

on the following prompts:

▪ What did the Civil Rights

Movement of African

Americans in the South have to

do with Mexican American

students in Los Angeles?

▪ How did the Civil Rights

Movement of Martin Luther

King, Jr. compare to that of

Cesar E. Chavez?

▪ After watching PBS segment on

the plight of Blacks in Latin

America (Henry Louis Gates)

▪ Think Pair Share

▪ Connection to modern

day in USA

❖ Science: All sciences Do It Now Activities (DNA)

to focus on African American Scientists:

• George Washington Carver

• Percy Lavon Julian

• Mae Jemison

• Katherine Johnson

• Marie Maynard

• Neil deGrasse

• Roger Arliner Young

• Lloyd Hall

• W.E.B. Du Bois

• Walter McAfee

❖ VAPA:

• Jazz Band will play at 3rd Annual Black

History Month Celebration

• Art classes will team to create artwork

for the 3rd Annual Black History Month

Celebration

• Host Kaiser High Paint Night, February

@ 5:00 pm

▪ Paint 2-dimensional images

onto canvas based on historical

images, symbols or characters

in Black American history

AB Miller High School

A.B. Miller promotes National Black History Month

through the implementation of subject specific activities

within several departments. Activities by content areas

are as follows:

❖ US History: U.S. History will be covering the

entire Black Civil Rights Movement through the

month of February. Specific culminating

presentations and projects will be completed by

the students.

❖ ASB will be sponsoring a Black History Month

door decorating contest.

❖ English classes will be conducting a Black History

Month essay contest for all students.

Summit High School

Throughout the month of February, ASB will showcase

Black History Trivia on the morning announcements. The

school will be holding a school-wide writing & art

contest. All students may submit writing piece or

artwork which celebrates Black History Month. The

school librarian will be displaying selected books and

poster on the lives and accomplishments of famous

African Americans in History. The Black Student Union

will be hosting a multiple lunchtime activity.

Adult Education

Teachers and students at the Fontana Adult School have

the following activities and events planned:

❖ Pictures of prominent Black leaders will be on

display around 2 central areas of the school.

❖ School-wide writing contest related to African

Americans who have had an impact.

❖ Teachers will do their own activities tied to Black

History month in their classrooms

❖ The school will send a message via email and

phone call to all our students about Black history

month and why it's important to learn about

African Americans and the vote

❖ A large gallery in the MPR over a course of 2 days

will be available for teachers to bring their

students to see displays on contributions made

by African Americans in relation to sports,

sciences, education, music, food, etc.

District Resources

Twitter Facts to Share Out

❖ The Real McCoy: Summertime fun in the

sprinkler. The next time you are running through

the sprinkler, remember that it was invented by

Elijah McCoy (1843-1929). Ever heard the

expression “the real McCoy”? It comes from

another invention by McCoy that allowed trains

and other machines to be lubricated while

running. When many imitations showed up,

people insisted on the real McCoy.

❖ Love Peanut Butter? Peanut Butter was

invented by a Black man, George Washington

Carver (1864-1943), who discovered 400 uses for

peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and pecans.

In the process, he transformed lunchtime

sandwiches forever. Yum!

❖ Red light, green light. The next time you are

waiting at a red light, tell the kiddies it was

invented by Garrett Morgan (1877-1963).

Morgan’s other invention, the gas mask, also

saves lives. Many soldiers survived the First

World War thanks to the gas mask, which

prevented deadly mustard gas from entering

their lungs.

❖ A lifesaving discovery. While researching blood

transfusions, Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904-

1950) realized that blood, like other liquids,

could be preserved. His method, now known as

blood banking, revolutionized medicine and

changed the way doctors work in remote areas

or during times of war. Dr. Drew went on to form

the Red Cross Blood Bank.

❖ Black History inside your TV. And maybe your

grandma. There is a lot of Black history inside

your television. Otis Boykin (1920-1982) created

over 28 different electronic devices, including

electrical resistors that are used in home

computers, television sets, radios, and guided

missiles. He also invented the pacemaker.

❖ The World-Famous Super Soaker. Sure, he is an

aerospace engineer, but Lonnie G. Johnson (born

1949) is best known for creating the world-

famous Super Soaker water gun, which has

earned more than $200 million in sales. Perhaps

you have contributed to that number every

summer. When he is not adding to summertime

fun, Johnson spends most of his time inventing

mechanical and electrical systems for NASA

rockets, and has earned more than 40 patents

for his work.

❖ Music, please. Kids love music. What better way

to teach Black history than by introducing some

of the great African-American music legends?

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1900-1971) was

one of the most influential artists of all time. He

transformed jazz into an art form, and his

trumpet style is still imitated today. His two

international hits, “Hello Dolly” and “What a

Wonderful World,” are still often heard today.

❖ Jackie Robinson. Tell your baseball buffs about

Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), the first Black

player in Major League Baseball. Robinson did

not have it easy, often getting bottles and insults

hurled his way, but he became Rookie of the

Year, and in his second season, League MVP. I

just read my children the book, Promises to

Keep, How Jackie Robinson Changed America,

written by his daughter, Sharon Robinson.

❖ Take it to the moon. John Christian was working

as an Air Force, Materials Research, Engineer,

when he invented and patented new lubricants,

used in highflying aircraft and NASA space

missions. The lubricants worked well under a

wider temperature range than previous

products, from minus 50 to 600 degrees. They

were used in the helicopter fuel lines,

astronaut’s backpack life support systems, and in

the four-wheel drive of the “moon-buggy.”

❖ A woman called Moses? You bet. Harriet

Tubman (1820-1913) was born a slave but later

escaped to Philadelphia, only to return to

Maryland to rescue her family. But she did not

stop there. She earned the name Moses because

she risked her life traveling at night helping

hundreds of Southern slaves escape to the north

and Canada through a network of safe people

and safe houses called the Underground

Railroad.

❖ From mischievous kid to the Supreme Court.

Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) is a must-know

figure in Black history. He was the first African-

American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

But as a kid, he was mischievous, and was once

forced to write copies of the Constitution as

punishment for his misbehavior. He later said

that punishment piqued his interest in the

Constitution (are you thinking what I am

thinking???). As a young adult, he applied to his

hometown law school at the University of

Maryland but was denied entrance because of

being Black. He later sued the school and won.

And before he became a judge, he was a

successful attorney who, most famously, won

the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case,

which ended school segregation.

❖ The Rockettes should thank him. Black

inventor, David Crosthwait holds 39 patents for

heating systems and temperature regulating

devices. He is most well-known for creating the

heating system for New York City’s famous Radio

City Music Hall. Kick it up for that!

❖ White House: In 2009, Barack Obama became

the first African-American president in U.S.

history. He occupied the White House for two

consecutive terms, serving from 2009 to 2017.

❖ Into Space: In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison became

the first African American woman to go into

space aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. During

her eight-day mission, she worked with U.S. and

Japanese researchers, and was a co-investigator

on a bone cell experiment.

❖ Oscar Winner: In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the

first African-American performer to win an

Academy Award—the film industry’s highest

honor—for her portrayal of a loyal slave

governess in Gone with the Wind. He occupied

the White House for two consecutive terms,

serving from 2009 to 2017.

❖ Self-Made Millionaire: Madame C.J. Walker was

born on a cotton plantation in Louisiana and

became wealthy after inventing a line of African-

American hair care products. She established

Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories and was also

known for her philanthropy and was also known

for her philanthropy. He occupied the White

House for two consecutive terms, serving from

2009 to 2017.

❖ Heavyweight Champ: Jack Johnson became the

first African-American man to hold the World

Heavyweight Champion boxing title in 1908. He

held onto the belt until 1915.

❖ Black History Month: The celebration of Black

History Month began as “Negro History Week,”

which was created in 1926 by Carter G.

Woodson, a noted African American historian,

scholar, educator, and publisher. It became a

month-long celebration in 1976. The month of

February was chosen to coincide with the

birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham

Lincoln.

Important Dates to Share Out in February

February 1

❖ 1920 b. - Langston Hughes, World renowned

Harlem Renaissance writer

❖ 1929 - Roland Hayes, Acclaimed tenor

performed at Florida A&M College (FAMC)

❖ 1960 - Greensboro, NC, first "Sit-in" protest

initiated by four North Carolina A&T students

❖ 1865 – The 13

Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution, which abolished slavery, was

adopted by the 38

Congress.

February 2

❖ 1776 - General George Washington, answered

letter from famous Negro poetess Phillis

Wheatley, who wrote a tributary poem to him

❖ 1862 - District of Columbia abolishes slavery

❖ 1914 - Ernest Just, genetic biologist, wins the

Spingarn Medal. He received this same medal on

this day in 1915 for his pioneering in cell division

and fertilization.

February 3

❖ 1903 - Jack Johnson, Boxing pioneer became the

first heavyweight champion

❖ 1920 - Negro Baseball League, Founded

❖ 1965 - Geraldine McCullough, sculptor, wins the

Widener Gold Medal Award.

February 4

❖ 1913 b. - Rosa Parks, Mother of the Civil Rights

Movement

❖ 1947 - Dr. Charles Drew, internationally famous

Negro surgeon, served as chief consultant for the

Annual FAMC Medical and Dental Clinics

❖ 1996 - J. C. Watts becomes the first Black

selected to respond to a State of the Union

Address.

February 5

❖ 1934 b. Hank Aaron, Baseball sensation and

home run king (755 career home runs), known as

"Hammering Hank"

❖ 1964 - 24th Amendment, Eliminated the poll tax

in federal elections

February 6

❖ 1867 - Peabody Fund, established to support

African American education in the South

❖ 1993 d. - Arthur Ashe, Tennis player, activist,

humanitarian

❖ 1867 - Robert Tanner Jackson becomes first

African American to receive a degree in

dentistry.

February 7

❖ 1923-1979 d. - Gwendolyn Cherry, FAMU

alumna, lawyer, author, educator, and first

African-American woman to serve in the Florida

House of Representatives

❖ 1951 - FAMU Hospital, officially dedicated

February 8

❖ 1863 - 54th Massachusetts Regiment, Organized

❖ 1986 - Oprah Winfrey, Became the first African

American woman to host a nationally syndicated

television talk show

February 9

❖ 1906 d. - Paul Lawrence Dunbar, One of

America's greatest poets

❖ 1944 b. - Alice Walker, Author of prize-winning

novel The Color Purple

❖ 1995 – Bernard Harris Jr. becomes first African

American to walk in space.

February 10

❖ 1927 b. - Leontyne Price, Internationally famous

opera singer

❖ 1989 - Ronald H. Brown, Elected chairperson of

the Democratic National Committee

February 11

❖ 1920 b. - General Daniel "Chappie" James,

Pensacola, Florida native, first African-American

four star general and at one time the highest

ranking African-American officer in the U.S.

military

❖ 1990- Nelson Mandela, released from a South

African prison after serving twenty-seven years

February 12

❖ 1809 b. - Abraham Lincoln, "The Great

Emancipator" and the 16th President of the

United States

❖ 1909 - National Association for the Advancement

of Colored People (NAACP), Founded in New

York

February 13

❖ 1926 - Negro History Week, Initial celebration

started by noted historian and author Dr. Carter

G. Woodson, "The Father of Black History"

❖ 1960 - Beginning of FAMU Student Sit-Ins, first

sit-in protests held in Florida. Initiated by FAMU

and local high school students and other

community members

❖ 1970 - The New York Stock Exchange admits its

first black member, Joseph Searles.

February 14

❖ 1817 b. - Frederick Douglass, World renowned

abolitionist, statesman and orator

❖ 1914 - John Hope, President of Morehouse

College, lectured at FAMU

❖ 1949 - John Hope Franklin, Famous historian and

author spoke at Lee Hall at 10 am as a part of

Lyceum Series

February 15

❖ 1820-1906 b. - Susan B. Anthony, Abolitionist

and leader of the women's suffrage movement,

among the first white Americans advocating

Negro suffrage after the Civil War

❖ 1935 - FAMC Federal Credit Union, Founded

❖ 1957 - Southern Leadership Conference (SCLC),

Founded

❖ 1968 - Henry Lewis becomes the first black to

lead a symphony orchestra in the United States.

February 16

❖ 1897 - P. Walker, Negro inventor patents

machine for cleaning seeds from cotton

❖ 1940 - Augusta Savage, Famous African-

American sculptor

February 17

❖ 1942-1989 b. - Huey P. Newton, Co-founder of

the Black Panther Party

❖ 1963 b. Michael Jordan, NBA superstar, sports

icon and one of the greatest athletes to ever play

the game of basketball

February 18

❖ 1688 - Quakers in Germantown, PA, Staged the

first formal protest against slavery in Colonial

America

❖ 1931 b. - Toni Morrison, first black woman to win

Nobel Prize in Literature

❖ 1947 - Dr. William E. B. DuBois, Author, historian

and sociologist, spoke at FAMC during a special

on-campus lecture series

February 19

❖ 1887-1983 d. - John Matheus, FAMC faculty

member and administrator, author, educator,

scholar and member of the Harlem Renaissance

❖ 1992 - Boyz N the Hood director John Singleton

becomes first black director to be nominated for

an Academy Award

February 20

❖ 1895 d. - Frederick Douglass, Editor of the

abolitionist paper, The North Star

❖ 1960 - Tallahassee, FL, first "Jail-in" protest

initiated by eight FAMU students who were

arrested for boycotting segregated businesses in

downtown Tallahassee

February 21

❖ 1965 d. - Malcolm X, Revered African-American

leader assassinated in New York. Founder of the

Organization of African-American Unity

February 22

❖ 1819 - Adam-onis Treaty, signed as a result of

Andrew Jackson's invasion of East Florida in his

campaign against the Seminole Indians, who

were close allies with runaway slaves

February 23

❖ 1868 b. - W.E.B. Dubois, Famous African-

American educator, editor, philosopher and civil

liberties leader

February 24

❖ 1811 b. - Daniel A. Payne, Reformer, Bishop of

the African Methodist Episcopal Church and first

president of Wilberforce University

❖ 1864 - Rebecca Lee became the first black

woman to receive an M.D. degree.

February 25

❖ 1870 - Hiram Revels, took oath of office

becoming the first African-American U.S.

Senator

❖ 1948 - Martin Luther King was ordained as a

Baptist minister.

February 26

❖ 1869 - 15th Amendment, which gave African-

American males suffrage, proposed in Congress

❖ 1928 b. Fats Domino, Rock and roll superstar

❖ 1930 - The Green Pastures, A pioneering play

with an all-black cast, opened in New York City

and ran continuously for 16 months

February 27

❖ 1897-1993 b. Marian Anderson, World famous

African-American singer

❖ 1988 - Debi Thomas, Became the first African-

American to win a medal in the Winter Olympics

(figure skating)

February 28

❖ 1984 - Michael Jackson, Musical genius

international entertainment icon, and "King of

Pop" won eight Grammy Awards

Little Known Facts

Taken From: http://www.pbs.org/black-

culture/explore/10-black-history-little-known-

facts/#.WnSJWqinG70

Before there was Rosa Parks, there was Claudette

Colvin.

Most people think of Rosa Parks as the first person to

refuse to give up their seat on a bus in Montgomery,

Alabama. There were actually several women who came

before her; one of whom was Claudette Colvin.

It was March 2, 1955, when the fifteen-year-old student

refused to move to the back of the bus, nine

months before Rosa Parks’ stand that launched the

Montgomery bus boycott. Claudette had been studying

Black leaders like Harriet Tubman in her segregated

school, those conversations had led to discussions

around the current day Jim Crow laws they were all

experiencing. When the bus driver ordered Claudette to

get up, she refused, “It felt like Sojourner Truth was on

one side pushing me down, and Harriet Tubman was on

the other side of me pushing me down. I couldn't get up."

Claudette Colvin’s stand did

not stop there. Arrested and

thrown in jail, she was one of

four women who challenged

the segregation law in court.

If Browder v. Gayle became

the court case that

successfully overturned bus

segregation laws in both

Montgomery and Alabama,

why has Claudette’s story been largely forgotten? At the

time, the NAACP and other Black organizations felt Rosa

Parks made a better icon for the movement than a

teenager did. As an adult with the right look, Rosa Parks

was also the secretary of the NAACP, and was both well-

known and respected – people would associate her with

the middle class and that would attract support for the

cause. But the struggle to end segregation was often

fought by young people, more than half of which were

women.

Martin Luther King Jr. improvised the most iconic part

of his “I Have a Dream Speech.”

On Wednesday, August 28, 1963, 250,000 Americans

united at the Lincoln Memorial for the final speech of the

March on Washington. As Martin Luther King Jr. stood at

the podium, he eventually pushed his notes aside.

The night before the march, Dr. King began working on

his speech with a small group of advisers in the lobby of

the Willard Hotel. The original speech was more political

and less historic, according to Clarence B. Jones, and it

did not include any reference to dreams. After delivering

the now famous line, “we are not satisfied, and we will

not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and

righteousness like a mighty stream,” Dr. King

transformed his speech into a sermon.

Onstage near Dr. King, singer Mahalia Jackson reportedly

kept saying, “Tell ‘em about the dream, Martin,” and

while no one will know if he heard her, it could likely have

been the inspiration he needed. Dr. King then continued,

“Even though we face the difficulties of today and

tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply

rooted in the American dream….” And then the famous

Baptist preacher preached on, adding repetition and

outlining the specifics of his dream. And while this

improvised speech given on that hot August day in 1963

was not considered a universal success immediately, it is

now recognized as one of the greatest speeches in

American history. For more information on the 1963

March on Washington,

visit pbs.org/marchonwashington.

Image: National Archives and Records Administration

Inoculation was introduced to America by a slave.

Few details are known

about the birth of

Onesimus, but it is

assumed he was born in

Africa in the late

seventeenth century

before eventually landing

in Boston. One of a

thousand people of African descent living in the

Massachusetts colony, Onesimus was a gift to the

Puritan church minister Cotton Mather from his

congregation in 1706.

Onesimus told Mather about the centuries old tradition

of inoculation practiced in Africa. By extracting the

material from an infected person and scratching it into

the skin of an uninfected person, you could deliberately

introduce smallpox to the healthy individual making

them immune. Considered extremely dangerous at the

time, Cotton Mather convinced Dr. Zabdiel Boylston to

experiment with the procedure when a smallpox

epidemic hit Boston in 1721 and over 240 people were

inoculated. Opposed politically, religiously and medically

in the United States and abroad, public reaction to the

experiment put Mather and Boylston’s lives in danger

despite records indicating that only 2% of patients

requesting inoculation died compared to the 15% of

people not inoculated who contracted smallpox.

Onesimus’ traditional African practice was used to

inoculate American soldiers during the Revolutionary

War and introduced the concept of inoculation to the

United States.

The earliest recorded protest against slavery was by the

Quakers in 1688.

Quakers, also known as “The Society of Friends,” have a

long history of abolition. But it was four Pennsylvania

Friends from Germantown who wrote the initial protest

in the 17

century. They saw the slave trade as a grave

injustice against their fellow man and used the Golden

Rule to argue against such inhumane treatment;

regardless of skin color, “we should do unto others as we

would have done onto ourselves.” In their protest they

stated, "Pray, what thing in the world can be done worse

towards us, then if men should rob or steal us away, &

sell us for slaves to strange Countries, separating

husband from their wife and children….”

Their protest against slavery and human trafficking was

presented at a “Monthly Meeting at Dublin” in

Philadelphia. The Dublin Monthly Meeting reviewed the

protest but sent it to the Quarterly Meeting, feeling it to

be too serious an issue for their own meeting to decide.

The four Friends continued their efforts and presented at

the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, but it was not until 88

years later that the Society of Friends officially

denounced slavery.

Over the centuries, this rare document has been

considered lost twice. Most recently it was rediscovered

in 2005 and is now at Haverford College Special

Collections.

Photo: 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition against

Slavery

Of the 12.5 million Africans shipped to the New World

during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, fewer than

388,000 arrived in the United States.

In the late 15

century, the

advancement of seafaring

technologies created a new

Atlantic that would change the

world forever. As ships began

connecting West Africa with

Europe and the Americas, new

fortunes were sought, and native

populations were decimated. With the native labor force

dwindling and demand for plantation and mining labor

growing, the transatlantic slave trade began.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade was underway from 1500-

1866, shipping more than 12 million African slaves across

the world. Of those slaves, only 10.7 million survived the

dreaded Middle Passage. Over 400 years, the majority of

slaves (4.9 million) found their way to Brazil where they

suffered incredibly high mortality rates due to terrible

working conditions. Brazil was also the last country to

ban slavery in 1888.

By the time the United States became involved in the

slave trade, it had been underway for two hundred years.

The majority of its 388,000 slaves arrived between 1700

and 1866, representing a much smaller percentage than

most Americans realize.

Image: African Renaissance Monument, Senegal

The diverse history of Historically Black Colleges and

Universities.

While Jewish and

African American

communities have a

tumultuous shared

history when it comes to

the pursuit of civil

rights, there is a chapter that is often overlooked. In the

1930s when Jewish academics from Germany and

Austria were dismissed from their teaching positions,

many came to the United States looking for jobs. Due to

the Depression, xenophobia and rising anti-Semitism,

many found it difficult to find work, but more than 50

found positions at HBCUs in the segregated South.

Originally established to educate freed slaves to read and

write, the first of the Historically Black Colleges and

Universities was Cheyney University in Pennsylvania,

established in 1837. By the time Jewish professors

arrived, the number of HBCUs had grown to 78. At a time

when both Jews and African Americans were persecuted,

Jewish professors in the Black colleges found the

environment comfortable and accepting, often creating

special programs to provide opportunities to engage

Blacks and whites in meaningful conversation, often for

the first time.

In the years that followed, the interests of Jewish and

African American communities increasingly diverged, but

this once-shared experience of discrimination and

interracial cooperation remains a key part of the Civil

Rights Movement.

Image: Melrose Cottage, built in 1805, Cheyney

University of Pennsylvania.

One in four cowboys was Black, despite the stories told

in popular books and movies.

In fact, it is believed that the real “Lone

Ranger” was inspired by an African

American man named Bass Reeves.

Reeves had been born a slave but

escaped West during the Civil War

where he lived in what was then known

as Indian Territory. He eventually

became a Deputy U.S. Marshal, was a

master of disguise, an expert marksman, had a Native

American companion, and rode a silver horse. His story

was not unique, however.

In the 19

century, the Wild West drew enslaved Blacks

with the hope of freedom and wages. When the Civil War

ended, freedmen came West with the hope of a better

life where the demand for skilled labor was high. These

African Americans made up at least a quarter of the

legendary cowboys who lived dangerous lives facing

weather, rattlesnakes, and outlaws while they slept

under the stars driving cattle herds to market.

While there was little formal segregation in frontier

towns and a great deal of personal freedom, Black

cowboys were often expected to do more of the work

and the roughest jobs compared to their white

counterparts. Loyalty did develop between the cowboys

on a drive, but the Black cowboys were typically

responsible for breaking the horses and being the first

ones to cross-flooded streams during cattle drives. In

fact, it is believed that the term “cowboy” originated as

a derogatory term used to describe Black “cowhands.”

Image: Bass Reeves, The first African-American US

Deputy Marshal

Esther Jones was the real Betty Boop!

The iconic cartoon character Betty

Boop was inspired by a Black jazz

singer in Harlem. Introduced by

cartoonist Max Fleischer in 1930,

the caricature of the jazz age

flapper was the first and most

famous sex symbol in animation.

Betty Boop is best known for her

revealing dress, curvaceous figure, and signature vocals

“Boop Oop A Doop!” While there has been controversy

over the years, the inspiration has been traced back to

Esther Jones who was known as “Baby Esther” and

performed regularly in the Cotton Club during the 1920s.

Baby Esther’s trademark vocal style of using “boops” and

other childlike scat sounds attracted the attention of

actress Helen Kane during a performance in the late

1920s. After seeing Baby Esther, Helen Kane adopted her

style and began using “boops” in her songs as well.

Finding fame early on, Helen Kane often included this

“baby style” into her music. When Betty Boop was

introduced, Kane promptly sued Fleischer and

Paramount Publix Corporation stating they were using

her image and style. However, video evidence came to

light of Baby Esther performing in a nightclub and the

courts ruled against Helen Kane stating she did not have

exclusive rights to the “booping” style or image, and that

the style, in fact, pre-dated her.

Baby Esther’s “baby style” did little to bring her

mainstream fame and she died in relative obscurity but

a piece of her lives on in the iconic character Betty Boop.

Image: Esther Jones ("Baby Esther"), late 1920s by James

VanDerZee

The first licensed African American Female pilot was

named Bessie Coleman.

Born in Atlanta, Texas in

1892, Bessie Coleman

grew up in a world of

harsh poverty,

discrimination and

segregation. She moved to

Chicago at 23 to seek her fortune but found little

opportunity there as well. Wild tales of flying exploits

from returning WWI soldiers first inspired her to explore

aviation, but she faced a double stigma in that dream

being both African American and a woman.

She set her sights on France in order to reach her dreams

and began studying French. In 1920, Coleman crossed

the ocean with all of her savings and the financial support

of Robert Abbott, one of the first African American

millionaires. Over the next seven months, she learned to

fly and in June of 1921, the Fédération Aéronautique

Internationale awarded her an international pilot's

license. Wildly celebrated upon her return to the United

States, reporters turned out in droves to greet her.

Coleman performed at numerous airshows over the next

five years, performing heart-thrilling stunts, encouraging

other African Americans to pursue flying, and refusing to

perform where Blacks were not admitted. When she

tragically died in a plane accident in 1926, famous writer

and equal rights advocate Ida B. Wells presided over her

funeral. An editorial in the "Dallas Express" stated,

"There is reason to believe that the general public did not

completely sense the size of her contribution to the

achievements of the race as such."

Image: Bessie Coleman and her plane in 1922, Monash

University

Interracial marriage in the United Sates was banned in

1664 and not overturned until 1967.

During the seventeenth and

early eighteenth century, the

growing number of interracial

marriages (also known as

miscegenation) between

Blacks and whites led to the passage of this new law. The

first anti-miscegenation law enacted was in the colony of

Maryland in 1664 and additional colonies quickly

followed suit. These marriages were prohibited, and

penalties included the enslavement, exile or

imprisonment of the white perpetrators. These laws

grew and evolved over the years and attempts were even

made to modify the Constitution to ban interracial

marriage in all states.

It would take three hundred years for this law to be

overturned. In 1967, Richard Loving, a white man, and

Mildred Jeter, a Black woman, were married in the

District of Columbia. When they returned home to

Virginia, they were arrested and convicted of violating

the state’s anti-miscegenation law. They each faced a

year in jail and their case went to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court found in favor of the Lovings in the

famous trial Loving v. Virginia. They ruled that

prohibiting interracial marriage on state and local levels

was unconstitutional; this meant that marriages

between the races were legal in the country for the first

time since 1664.

In 2000, Alabama became the last state to officially

legalize interracial marriage by removing the

unenforceable ban that was still contained in their state

constitution. Read more famous cases about interracial

relationships that changed history.