WEST ORANGE, NJ — Hazel Elementary School held its sixth annual “Feel the Beat” program, much to the delight of students, staff and parents, who came out in force to celebrate Black History Month and enjoy an evening of music, dance and spoken word. Fatou Mbaye-Halsey, Mten Halsey, Principal Ana Marti, Porl Gordon, Phyllis Seibert, […]
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Gallery at TSTI, the art gallery at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, was the site of a communitywide event, “Black/Jewish Solidarity: Building Together” on Sunday, Feb. 23. The program was coordinated by the synagogue’s social justice task force in partnership with SOMA Justice and the Community Coalition on Race. […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — During Black History Month, the West Orange Public Library was decorated by West Orange African Heritage Organization members Michael Roach and Yvonne Nambe Roach. This was their second year decorating the library for Black History Month. Their decorations represented African art and African-American art, and provided information to library visitors. Photos […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Student representatives from the West Orange High School Unity Club, Student Council and African American Heritage Club attended the ninth annual Garvey/Nkrumah Lecture Series on Feb. 19, featuring Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. West Orange resident Akil Khalfani, director of the Africana Institute and associate professor of sociology at Essex County College, […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — When Avery John gets to her classroom at St. Cloud Elementary School, kindergarten teacher Tiffany China hears the rest of the students asking, “Who is she wearing?” Avery isn’t walking the red carpet at the Academy Awards wearing a piece by an acclaimed fashion designer. She’s wearing a T-shirt with the […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Fifth-grade students at Mt. Pleasant and Kelly elementary schools heard the experiences of Anthony Lyons, a long-time West Orange resident who experienced the civil rights movement first-hand in the 1960s. Lyons’ Feb. 18 visit to Mt. Pleasant capped off an educational day for the students, who first visited the MAYO Performing […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The 17th annual McDonald’s Salutes Faces of Black History Tour made an appearance at Roosevelt Middle School on Feb. 18. The tour is a free performance, month-long tour consisting of a talented five-member cast that travels to local schools to teach children about the influential figures of black history through music. […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Seth Boyden’s third-grade class, led by teacher Carol West, had the opportunity to interview Superintendent Ronald Taylor as a part of their Black History Month studies. Their focus is on interviewing citizens who are making a difference in their communities. Students interviewed Taylor as “staff reporters.” Each child had a question and […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — More than 100 visitors came out on a cold evening to experience heartwarming music, poetry, stories and family photo collages during the “Sharing our Stories” reception on Feb. 15 at the West Orange Arts Center. The evening included a standing room–only presentation of poetry and short stories told by the participants […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Black History Month is being celebrated at the West Orange Public Library with an art exhibit of installations, quilts and collages, on display until Feb. 29. Curated by Mansa Mussa, the show is called “Fertile Soil: Ancestors and Icons” and also features Mussa’s own work. “You have people who have inspired […]