As snow sprinkled the ground on February 20, a crowd of over 100 people gathered at the Maplewood Library Hilton Branch for a Black History Month celebration.
Kids from across the South Orange-Maplewood School District were invited to speak out about topics ranging from racial and gender equality to environmental protection and the importance of education.
Students were welcomed by Malia Herman, Maplewood Deputy Mayor. Vic De Luca of the Maplewood Township Committee, Library Director Sarah Lester, Assistant Director Amanda Eigen, and Library Board of Trustees members were in attendance as well. Jane Folger, Head of Children Services, noted that this annual event offers students an “opportunity to share their views on the world” through poetry, art, and essay and she was joined by the South Orange Maplewood school librarians.
Charlotte, one of the student poets, said it well when asked about her experience. “I wasn’t going to share my poem at first but decided to at the last minute. As soon as I sat down after I shared, everyone was congratulating me and it felt really good! I felt sort-of like a celebrity, but not in a selfish way.”
Charlotte’s poem read, “To fight the wrongs was his goal, To send a message to his people.”
Student artwork is on display at the Maplewood Library Hilton Branch, 1688 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood, NJ, through March 15.
Marshall School 4th graders created portraits inspired by the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Clinton School students created “black out” poetry, selecting words from the pages of old books and blacking out the unused text.
Pictured from left to right: Melanie Holmes (Outreach Assistant, Mikie Sherrill’s office); Teresa Quick; Janine Poutre; Robert A. Marchman (President, Library Board of Trustees); Maria Daphne Kazanis; Jane Folger; Jennifer Latimer; Amy Popp; Malia Herman (Deputy Mayor, Maplewood)
Essays from Delia Bolden 5th graders.
