Mansfield ISD announces the 2010 Black History Month observances that several campuses have chosen to provide to their elementary, intermediate, middle and high school communities.

Elementary Schools

Louise Cabaniss Elementary – The librarian will focus readings this month on African American literature. The music teacher will expose the students to African American composers and topics in music. Daily announcements will be made that highlight African American people in history. Posters will be placed around the school that are titled Connecting the Past to the Present. These posters will be at high traffic areas so that teachers can discuss these with students.

Mary Jo Sheppard Elementary – They will be celebrating their 3rd Annual Read-In, “Race for Equality: Running Individually, Finishing Together.” The focus this year is not just about one culture's race for equality, but the true prize, which is unity among all races.

Thelma Jones Elementary – Black History Program on Feb. 26, 2010. Time: 9:00 am for K-2nd and 2:00 pm for 3rd & 4th grades. Parents and guest are invited to attend either performance. Come out and learn about the African American culture as some of the students & staff put on a fabulous Black History program. Enjoy the Thelma Jones staff choir sing the “Black National Anthem” and “We are the World” accompanied by some little sharks. The shark band will also perform and more.

Intermediate Schools

Cross Timbers Intermediate – The campus is having a poster contest, the trophy case will have a display and each morning for the month of February, a student will be doing a reading during the morning announcements at 8:00 am.

Mary Lillard Intermediate – Librarian, Ruth Edwards, is using the book Follow the Drinking Gourd in her lessons for her classes.

Follow the Drinking Gourd, She will summarize the story using the document camera to show them most of the illustrations. Students will see a dried gourd that is carved to be used as a dipper/drinking gourd. They will read together the chorus/refrain of Follow the Drinking Gourd.

Mary Orr Intermediate – February 19, Orr will host an Annual African American Read In.

For the 8th consecutive year, Mary Orr Intermediate is hosting our local version of the National African American Read-In sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English and promoted by the International Reading Association. At this event, we showcase the literature of African-American authors.

The African Amerian Read-In at MOIS is on Friday, February 19. It begins with a breakfast at 7:15 for our guest readers and staff. The readers are escorted to their classrooms at 7:50 am, and they read from about 8:00 to 8:20.

A few of the readers this year are: cadets from Mansfield High coming with Col. John Swahn; Shelley Trammell, Daycia Smith, Stephanie Ivory, Karen Wentworth, Natasha stewart, Staci Buck, Alicia Boykin, Venetia Sneed, Linda Boyce, and Melony Harmon. We usually have about 45 readers (one for each classroom). We encourage parents, administration, school board members, church leaders, and other community members to join us for this literacy event.

Middle Schools

James L. Coble Middle School – Each team will decorate doors and hallways to commemorate this part of American History. Some of the themes will be;

African American Inventors
African American Scientists
African American Educators
African American Civil Rights
African American Athletes
African Americans in Government
Each day an African American quote will be apart of the announcements

T. A. Howard Middle School – The campus will have daily announcements spotlighting important people and events in Black History. They will hold a Black History Celebration on February 26, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, in the cafeteria for students and parents. Students will perform songs, dances, and orations reflecting on African-American trailblazers.

Linda Jobe Middle School – Jobe held their English Language Arts/Social Studies Family Night “Moments in Black History” on February 2.

Brooks Wester Middle School – Campus has announcements and advisory activities planned for the month.

Rogene Worley Middle School – This is a list of some activities Worley will be doing for the month of February during their advisory class.

The campus will be having a community breakfast rescheduled for February 19 at 9:30 am.

Students will be studying the virtue "Tolerance" along with diversity and Black History Month - flyers/handouts for several of their activities/events are available:

1. "Tiger Tolerance" School-wide Essay Competition
2. "Tigers have a Heart for Tolerance" Advisory Activity
3. Celebrating Diversity - "Cultural Bag" Activity
4. "Community Involvement Breakfast" - Friday, Feb. 19 at 9:30 am.

Danny Jones Middle School – Activities and assignments planned for the entire month through their English Language Arts/Social Studies Classes.

High Schools

Mansfield Summit High School – Celebrating Black History Month: Changing the Face of History

Essay Contest, 250-500 words typed double-spaced
Theme: “Changing the Face of History”

Art Contestm, Any type of Media
Theme: “Changing the Face of History”

Poetry Contest, Orginal Poetry Typed
Theme: “Changing the Face of History”

Entry Guidelines - Please submit all entries to F-Hall Office no later than Friday, February 26 at 2:45 pm. See Dr. Ford or Mrs. Davis-Martin with questions. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Prizes will be awarded. All entries must include name and grade.

Daily Black History Facts readings during daily Announcements

(Please note: This listing was compiled from information provided by the schools. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy. Information will be updated as new information becomes available.)

February is celebrated as Black History Month - an annual celebration that has existed since 1926.

Much of the credit for Black History Month goes to Harvard Scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson (pictured at right). In 1926, Woodson organized the first annual Negro History Week, which took place during the second week of February. Woodson chose this date to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln -- two men who had greatly impacted the black population.

Over time, Negro History Week evolved into a four-week-long celebration of African American History. Because of the variation in terms used, February is also known as African American History Month, Afro-American History Month and Black Experience Month.

February has much more than Douglass and Lincoln to show for its significance in black American history. For example:

• February 23, 1868: W. E. B. DuBois, important civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born.

• February 3, 1870: The 15th Amendment was passed, granting blacks the right to vote.

• February 25, 1870: The first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels (1822-1901), took his oath of office.

• February 12, 1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded by a group of concerned black and white citizens in New York City.

• February 1, 1960: In what would become a civil-rights movement milestone, a group of black Greensboro, N.C., college students began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter.

• February 21, 1965: Malcolm X, the militant leader who promoted Black Nationalism, was shot to death by three Black Muslims.