Cleveland held its annual Black History Month assembly on Feb. 18. The theme this year was “The Historical Impact of Jazz,” which featured musician Christopher Brown and his band.
“We knew that we wanted to do something that was engaging and attention grabbing for the students,” said Ella Monette, BSU co-president.
In a time when many students are used to fast-paced, short-term media, the organizers wanted something that would capture attention while still highlighting an important part of Black history.
BSU members began the planning process by discussing ideas and voting on possible themes during club meetings and landed on the history of jazz.
“We then decided that bringing in a special guest, in the form of a musician or speaker, would be the best way to create something truly memorable,” said Monette.
Prior to the assembly, BSU celebrated Black History Month in other ways as well. The club held three general meetings where the members had the opportunity to connect with Black leaders and advisors from around Portland. The spoke with Talk A Mile, an organization that connects Black youth in Portland with city officials. Over the course of these meetings the members focused on discussions about joy and connection within the Black community.
These meetings gave members a chance to discuss issues affecting the Black community, learn from local leaders, and explore ways to create connections with their school community.
During the assembly Christopher Brown and his band performed a selection of jazz pieces, showing the music’s historical significance and cultural impact. Students had the opportunity to ask questions, interact with the performers, and hear stories about how jazz influenced communities in the United States and in other places around the world.
The BSU leaders said the assembly was a success.
“It was so exciting to watch months’ worth of hard work finally be presented,” said Monette.
The BSU continued to celebrate and had a gathering at the end of February to commemorate the assembly and reflect on the month’s events.
The leaders also hoped that the assembly inspired other students to get involved in future events and continue to explore the history and culture of Black communities throughout the year.
“If there’s anything we hope students take away from the assembly, it’s that Black History Month is every month. Black history is American history, as it is your history, just as much as it is mine,” Monette said.
By combining music, conversation, and community engagement, this year’s assembly demonstrated the power of creativity and collaboration in celebrating Black history.
