History comes alive
Students at the Delta Kappa Omega Providence Community Center pose with Doby Flowers, left and Fred Flowers, right, after their production for Black History month that mentioned these two Tallahasseans.
Special to the Outlook
On Feb. 29, students at the Delta Kappa Omega Providence Community Service Center (DKOPCSC) had an opportunity to take an imaginary bus trip to visit some “Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories” in Tallahassee as a culmination to their Black History Month studies. In a one-act play written by center volunteer, Lenita Joe and directed by Mary Wright Peters, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, center volunteer and member of the Delta Kappa Omega Foundation The children boarded the “Delta Kappa Omega Bus,” and visited and learned about these sites:
Florida A&M University, Carnegie Library and Carrie Meeks-James Eaton, Sr. Black Archives, Old Union Bank formerly National Freedman’s Bank, Jake Gaither House, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, C. K. Steele Statue and Plaza, Frenchtown, Fred Douglas Lee, Sr. Memorial, Tookes House/Hotel, Florida State University Integration Statue, The Knott House, John G. Riley House, and the Tallahassee Wall.
Interspersed throughout the stops, were songs and poems about African Americans. After each stop, the children, Jaden Coleman, Samara Crouch, Savanna Crouch, Asia Cuyler, Isaac Davis, Xion Davis, Bruce Doyle, Isaac Hester, Maurico Reyes, Veronica Reyes, Ka’Nijah Robinson, Lameesha Simmons, Jaylan Smith, Elijah Stafford, Israyl Stafford and Paige Williams sang “The Wheels on the Bus.” They recited in unison, “Go to the Back of the Bus, Rosa Parks,” and “Hey Black Child.” Xion Davis recited a poem about Mary McLeod Bethune entitled, “Heads, Hearts, Hands.” Florida State University volunteer, Bria Parker and Florida A& M University volunteers, Brittani Harris, Alana Thornton, Briana Robinson and Bianca Jean also participated in the play.
The highlight of the evening came when the children had the pleasure of meeting, Doby Flowers (Integration Statue) who was the first African American Homecoming Queen at FSU and Fred Lee (Frederick Douglas Lee Statue) the son of Frederick Lee, first African American policeman on a beat in Tallahassee. Lee also brought pictures of his father and other memorabilia. He closed the play by singing the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” An added treat was an animated short story about The Harlem Renaissance done by Janeen Meeks a student at Godby High.
President of AKA, Vette Gibbs and Fred Triplett, director of the center, gave closing remarks.
