Honoring Black Legacies and Celebrating Black Excellence: Black History Month at GFS 

This year’s Black History Month (BHM) was full of celebratory gatherings, workshops and assemblies, and opportunities to uplift Black historical figures. The month, organized by Black faculty and staff from across the school and students of the Black Student Union, in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, was designed to provide numerous ways for students, families, faculty, and staff to learn about the diverse cultures and identities that make up our community. 

“We view this work as a springboard to integrating cultural knowledge throughout the year, which is a crucial component of a holistic Quaker educational experience, demonstrating the interconnectedness of all within our community,” said Charla Okewole, GFS’ Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

January Term

Some of the research and work for Black History Month began in January. In the J-Term course African American Excellence—co-taught by teachers Aaron Preetam and André Robert Lee ’89 and GFS senior Jeremy Turner—Upper School students helped to plan many of the BHM programming. During each class, they learned about Black people’s contributions in art, literature, science, politics, business, athletics, and social justice, and created posters that were displayed around campus to highlight the stories of these historical and present-day innovators and leaders. 

Throughout the course, the students also considered the query: What does Black Excellence mean to me? They started the class by sharing their own definitions of the term, and then, after weeks of thinking and learning, were given the chance to revise their definitions based on their academic and personal discoveries. (Ed. note: Some of these definitions will be highlighted throughout this article.)  

“Black Excellence is Black people excelling in any field or interest, with remembrance to what and who we come from, despite the obstacles we’re faced with and the pressures we’re put under.” 
— Jeremy Turner ’26

Celebrations in Every Division

With February underway, GFS students of all ages honored Black History Month in a variety of engaging, interactive ways.

Early Childhood

Early Childhood students were introduced to famous Black people and their contributions to the world. One specific book that captured the students’ imaginations was a picture book, Have You Thanked An Inventor Today, about Black inventors, such as Sarah Boone who invented the ironing board and Frederick Jones, who invented the air conditioner. Teachers also read We Are Black History, a book of short biographies of historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King Jr., and Maya Angelou and added their photos to the Heritage Month bulletin board highlights.

In Early Childhood art, classes made felt patches to be assembled into a quilt (pictured above). The project was based on the Gee's Bend quilts made from scraps of fabric by the women of the isolated African-American hamlet of Gee's Bend in Alabama. These vibrant, colorful quilts are celebrated as some of the most significant artistic contributions to American art history and are now part of the permanent collections of more than 40 museums across three continents. 

Lower School

BHM month in Lower School kicked off with an interactive bingo game that allows students to engage with a range of Black leaders, activists, artists, and pioneers who have made significant contributions to society, including GFS alumni.

In Celia Cruz’s ’85 first-grade class, students thoughtfully considered the experiences of each person on the bingo board, figured out those with whom they shared connections, and read books to deepen their engagement with the game.

Lower School girls in the African American affinity group also were part of a special visit in the Friends Free Library from WHYY host Cherri Gregg, who shared the story of Barbara Jordan’s work as a politician, educator, and lawyer.

Members of Sistahs, the Upper School affinity group for female students of color from various backgrounds, met with Gregg in the All School Commons to discuss Jordan’s work and impact. During the visit, they shared with Gregg the importance and value of sisterhood, friendship, and using their gifts to expand the community and their world.

“I define Black Excellence as making a way out of hardship. Creating something that hasn’t been created before, and finding success in spaces where people are against you.”
— Cianna Cyrus ’28

Middle School

Another special BHM guest on campus was Dwight Dunston, a West-Philadelphia-based facilitator, artist, and educator, who led Middle School's Black History Month Assembly. Dunston is a Level 2 Kingian Nonviolence Trainer and SEED Mediation Trainer, and has worked extensively with Dr. Howard Stevenson at the University of Pennsylvania and Otto Sharmer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He engaged with students about the role that Black youth have played in promoting justice in their communities and explored how values and identity influence when and how one takes action.

"Black Excellence is:
Going hard for those who’ve come before you.
Doing the hard thing when nobody else will.
Celebrating the accomplishments of our brothers and sisters.
Trying to be the best version of yourself every day."
— X Ray '26

In Meeting for Worship preparation, Middle School students learned about Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin, his significant impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and how his numerous contributions to the Movement were tempered by those opposed to his sexual orientation. After learning more of Rustin’s story, students were asked to consider two queries:

What causes do you care about the most?
What is the bravest thing you could see yourself doing to stand up for a cause?

Upper School

The Upper School Black Student Union was busy during BHM! They met for a number of lunchtime meetings for activities, including a tutorial about the card game spades; line dancing lessons; music, sports, and local icons trivia; a Divine 9 panel about fraternities and sororities; and a visit from Matthew Stitt ‘05, current president of PFM Group Consulting and a former member of the GFS School Committee. BSU also co-hosted all school lunch-and-learns with different faculty members.

“Black excellence is being proud of who you are in every space you walk into and not shrinking yourself to fit into any space, while also honoring the people that came before you in whatever you do.” 
— Cassidy Foreman ’29

The month concluded with the Upper School Black Excellence Showcase Assembly, a talent show that put Black students and staff members in the spotlight on the Loeb stage to share poetry, musical performances, and more.

Students wore their Black Student Union hoodies in honor of Trayvon Martin, who lost his life on February 26, 2012, the very same day as the assembly. The entire school sang Lift Every Voice and Sing led by the Upper School Choir, and ended with The Sound of Philadelphia.

Families

The entire community was invited to Black History Game Night, hosted by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office and the Multicultural Parent Association. An annual GFS tradition, students of all ages and their families gathered for a night of trivia, food, fun, and prizes.

“I define Black Excellence as succeeding past the given stereotype, having that willpower to want to do better, to be on the path to becoming something great as an African American, and with that, not losing your authentic self.”
— Laila McNeal ’29

The work and learnings that take place in Black History Month are more than a seasonal endeavor at GFS; the school community weaves historical and present-day perspectives of the Black experience into the daily academic experience for students in every division. All year long, we continue to honor the legacies through a sustained commitment to equity and the exploration of Black excellence in all its forms.

“Black Excellence is upholding your character and values in the most challenging times, choosing your purpose consciously, and living it consistently, no matter the cost. 

You become excellent when you choose your values and your purpose consciously and live them consistently.”
— Maurice Williams ’26