Black History Month is a time to remember and celebrate the contributions of African-Americans to society and the nation's culture.
Clairton Elementary Center students and staffers did just that in February, and culminated their festivities Friday with food and song at their annual Black History Feast.
This year was the 12th installment of the city school district's tradition. The theme was Passing it Forward, and principal Deborah Marshall acted as master of ceremonies.
Black History Feast was started in 1999 by former Clairton kindergarten teacher Bloneva Wiggins, who was in attendance Friday afternoon.
"I decided I would invite parents to come in (to the school) and when it originally started parents brought their own dishes," Wiggins said. "That part is gone. That part I still miss because that was the purpose of it, for them to bring in their original African-American dishes. You had greens and potato salad and black eyed peas coming from the entire community.
"It started just within the kindergarten classrooms and just kindergarten students, parents and grandparents. Parents would talk about their history and things important to them as African- Americans. You would eat and celebrate.
"It started to grow and grow, like it has now. The purpose of it was to share and interact with the community and let all of the children be aware of black history."
Wiggins retired in 2008, and the district continued the tradition in her honor.
"I'm happy they have continued it and it has grown so big. It's a good thing," Wiggins said. "I thought the year I retired it would be done, but they continued. This is the third year since (retiring) and it has grown so much because now the children learn traditional African songs and different things like that."
Teacher Shana Mignogna said the program gets bigger every year, and the high school students played a big role in volunteering and making this year very successful.
Friday's program began in the high school auditorium with the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by high school chorus members.
"It's actually quite fun," freshman Eliza Sopko, a member of the chorus, said about Black History Feast. "I do enjoy performing."
Sopko said a lot of the younger students look to the upperclassmen as role models, and she hopes the young ones learned something throughout the month.
Teacher Nina Ohm led the kindergartners in African chants, song and dance as well as counting in Swahili. The students wore paper hats and used paper animals they made for the program.
"It's a really nice event once it happens," Ohm said. "We do a lot of hours of preparation with the kids, teaching them about things. We've added an African dance. It's new this year. That's the big highlight. It's a nice way to bring the community in and do something as a family."
Kindergartners spent weeks preparing the program's presentation. The auditorium was decorated with student artwork of prominent African- American figures, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The elementary cafeteria, where parents and participants enjoyed a feast presented by district staffers, was similarly decorated.
The parents appeared to be pleased with their children's performance, and some thought it was educational as well as entertaining.
"It was good. I didn't know the different languages, like Swahili," said Kweilyn Ross as she ate with her son Kyle Ross. "There's more to it than just Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks."
