Melodies of guitars flow through every wing on campus.

Students pack the glade during lunch to hit the J-12 and battle it out on the dance floor.

However, something was different on Feb. 25. The guitars remained, as did the dancing. The students were still enjoying music. Only during fourth period, a more uncommon music was heard in the theater. A more soulful genre was sung in celebration of Black History Month.

Gospel.

Teachers and students filed into the theater. One by one, they took their seats ready to enjoy “A Musical Journey.”

“Black History Month isn’t recognized enough,” freshman Makayla Hannah, who sang “Precious Lord” at the assembly, said.

“It’s not appreciated even by (African Americans).”

Assistant Principal Francine Baird agrees.

“Considering there isn’t a Black Student Union here at Stagg, Baird believes this assembly was,”imperative to students and staff to recognize that it is Black History Month and to show that we value different cultures at our school.”

Social Studies Department Chair Audrey Weir-Graham went so far as to do “Facts on Blacks” in her classes to inform students about the accomplishments of African Americans.

“It’s fitting that we take the time to recognize all the people who have given their time, their sweat, and their blood to build this country,” Weir-Graham said.

She emphasizes the importance of becoming sponges and absorbing all the knowledge her students can.

Hannah, who celebrates Black History Month outside of school through her church, has learned to appreciate African Americans who made history but go unnoticed.

“It wasn’t just Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks who made a difference,” she said.

In fact, the first successful heart surgery was performed by an African American. The first traffic light was built by an African American, as was the first gas mask — a very resourceful tool during World War II.

The underappreciation of Black History Month inspired the assembly.

Campus security monitors Otha Dread and Donnah Glover, whom the students commonly refer to as Ms. G, not only directed the “musical journey” program that featured students who expressed their faith through gospel songs but also expressed their beliefs by singing as well.

Glover can be seen monitoring the campus wearing an “I Love Jesus” lanyard.

The music was hoped to be the fuse to bond all students of all ethnicities together in honor of the equality African Americans fought vigorously to gain.

After the program ended, students who were able to attend the celebration gathered around at lunch to discuss the performances.

“That was an amazing thing to see,” Glover said. “All the ethnicities walking hand and hand,” referencing Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Senior Alona Green had the privilege of reading the landmark speech at the assembly.

“I felt like it was important to show how we’ve changed as a culture over time,” Green said. “I felt proud to read his Green would also go on to say that she felt the students grasped the culture of African Americans through the speech and every other aspect of the assembly.

“I can’t get over the hidden talents our students have,” business skills teacher Ron Tankersley said.

The singing, the dancing, and the speeches all knocked his socks off.

“I made sure my students and I were there,” he said,” because I want them to get inspired by other students.”

The main goal of the assembly was to encourage students to look beyond themselves and be the people Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Thurgood Marshall wanted us to be. Advocates of equality, freedom, and self worth.

In hopes that the assembly will take place next year and years to come, Glover said,”I’d like to introduce more topics. I’d like to do skits and inform the students on inventors. It’s all a matter of time.”

Baird agrees,”Everyone deserves to be culturally enhanced,” she said. “We’ll just continue to build on making these events possible.”