February is Black History Month (BHM), and D-E celebrated with a series of events—from Upper School (US) Assembly performances—to a BHM Exhibit in Hajjar Auditorium for Lower School and Middle School (LS/MS) students.
During the US Assembly, hosted by the Black Affinity student organization on Feb. 20, 2025, prominent Black entertainers were spotlighted in fun game of “Name That Song,” including Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, and Beyoncé, as well as in a presentation on the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show and in a segment on Black representation in music, dance, and pop culture.
Black Affinity leader Trisha Zormelo ’25 shared closing words at the US assembly that touched on holding one another accountable when systemic racism seeps in and affects how you treat others. She reflected on Maya Angelou’s wisdom that “…people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
“This is a fantastic initiative that teaches kids different aspects of Black history and culture.”
D-E students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to visit the LS/MS exhibit on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. “There are 15 different sections that highlight Black contributions in different industries—arts, entrepreneurship, architecture, and more,” said DEIB Assistant Director Ms. Simone Henry Agblonon. The showcase celebrates, she added, “the freedom fighters and trailblazers that have led the way to allow [Black people] to live the life we live today.”
Dr. Sherronda Brown, Director of D-E 360, assisted with a tasting table of foods that represented the African diaspora—cornbread and nutrition-rich black-eyed peas. The latter, she explained, was a Ghanaian staple that was brought to North America via slave ships. “It was the food that sustained [Africans] … they grew this on their own.”
Parent volunteer Paula Anderson, whose daughter, Ayo ’30, is a 7th grader at D-E, remarked, “This is a fantastic initiative that teaches kids different aspects of Black history and culture… It gives them access to information they may not be exposed to on their own.”
The School’s commemoration of BHM continued on the morning of Feb. 27, when the MS held its assembly in Schenck Auditorium. Students listened intently to portions of “A Ballerina’s Tale,” a documentary on Misty Copeland’s historic achievement as the first Black principal dancer of a major ballet company. The film described how pale skin and svelte bodies had long been the standard for this European art form, leading to talented Black dancers consistently being overlooked as lead dancers.
“We celebrate all the people who worked incredibly hard to achieve success when the odds are against them,” said Ms. Henry Agblonon. “The takeaway is to get to know people as individuals.” Furthermore, she added, we should aim to see less spaces where there’s only one of a particular race or culture.
“Black people can change the world!”
Camryn T. ’33, who attentively walked around the LS/MS exhibit, said she loved seeing the poster boards featuring Black people represented in so many different categories. She exclaimed, “Black people can change the world!”
