Black History Month

February is Black History Month and we spent some time reading books and hearing stories about the lives of black people. We reflected on the injustices that have happened and are still happening today. We wondered about the biases in our own hearts and why we sometimes treat people unfairly just because they are different from us.

Here are some of the books that have impacted the students in Grade 5-6.

The Patchwork Path

A story that has impacted me is the Patchwork Path. This story makes me feel joyful and sad because I am happy for the people who made it to freedom but I feel sorry for the slaves. I never knew that they used quilts to help guide them to Canada. I think people were treated unfairly because they were sold and taken away from their family. I would like to know more about quilts because they are like guides to freedom.

Henry’s Freedom Box

A story that has impacted me is Henry’s Freedom Box. This story makes me feel sad because he never saw his wife again. I also wonder why us white people treated black people unfairly. I feel bad for black people. I always wished that I lived during slavery because I would help them and I would treat them equally. It makes me feel emotional when we read Henry’s Freedom Box. When he wanted to send himself I felt very happy for him that he was trying to free himself. It was sad because he only saw his wife and children tied up and taken to some other slave plantation. I said a year ago that I wanted to free slaves and that I would help them. I really like black people. Henry’s Freedom Box is a good story about how much people wanted to free themselves.

Martin's Big Words

A story that has impacted me is the Martin Luther King Junior story. This story makes me feel sad because he was helping people but they shot him. I never knew that people would still be angry and that black and white people would still be separated. I think that people are treated unfairly because people still want the black people to be slaves. I like MLK because he is very interesting. I would like to know more about MLK because he must have done a lot of good things. It’s important to remember this story because he was brave and courageous.

Testing the Ice

A story that has impacted me is Testing the Ice. This story makes me feel amazing because I love skating and playing baseball. I never knew that Jackie Robinson couldn’t swim. Jackie Robinson had lots of courage and was brave to be booed and called names in Major League Baseball. I think it was mean that people treated him unfairly. One thing we can do to change this rudeness is to not make fun of black people and to treat them fairly. It is important to remember this story because we can have courage and be brave like Jackie Robinson.

Something Happened in our Town

A story that has impacted me is Something Happened in our Town. This story makes me feel sad because the cop shot a black man for a reason that shouldn’t be deserved to get shot. I never knew that cops pull over black people more than white people. I think people were treated unfairly because you should not get shot if you are a black person and have done something that a white person would not have gotten shot if he/she did that. I would like to know more about this story because I do not know what that black man did. I really hope that everyone will realize that all humans are equal. It is important to remember this story because that man who got shot didn’t deserve to get shot.

We pray that God will use these stories to change our hearts and encourage us to work for justice.