ROCHESTER, NY, March 2, 2020 –The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) welcomed over 200 students from the Rochester City School District (RCSD) during February to participate in a new program: A Journey Through Time in African-American History.
This program, which debuted on February 10 and 27, is an immersive experience in which students were able to meet local African and African-American artists and learn about their crafts. The program was developed jointly with Dr. Jason Willis, Director of African and African-American Studies at RCSD.
“This is a celebration of the contributions African and African-American have and continue to make to the greater American culture, which can be a source of pride for African-American students and an example to all to value their own cultures and to share them with others through the arts,” said Dr. Harold Clark, Senior Director STEM Learning & Community at RMSC.
RMSC and RCSD hope that by meeting local artists who are able to make a living on their passions, RCSD students will be inspired to pursue careers they may not have known were possible.
Some of the artists and organizations that participated in this event include:
- AKOMA, the African-American Women’s Gospel Choir
- Bradford Britton, visual artist
- Yahaya Alhassan, Ghanaian drummer and instrumentalist, who also crafts glass bead necklaces, the proceeds of which support a school he started in Ghana
- DJ C-Melz, sound artist
- Alfred St. John, Trinidadian steel pan drummer and founder of the Trinidad and Tobago Steelband
- The Baobab Cultural Center
Scholarship funding for students to participate in the event was provided by the New York State Department of Education and Senator Joseph E. Robach. The RMSC and RCSD hope to continue this innovative program in the future and are pursuing funding opportunities.
