posted by Cindy Boyer, Director of Public Programs

As we entered the last week of Black History Month, I was reflecting on the success of this year’s performances of  Walk the Walk: Encounters with Rochester’s African American Ancestors and the great work carried out by the talented actors and dedicated volunteers.

We reached 460 2^nd graders with the new ABC African-American History Rap version of Walk the Walk, and well over 1,000 4^th grade and up students at the two mornings of the traditional program. That’s not even counting the teachers and chaperones!

At left: cast of new second grade program. At right: cast of Walk the Walk school performances. [Photos courtesy David Boyer]

Also new this year, each student and teacher who attended a performance, received a copy of our award-winning Historic New York book (what one 2^nd grader called the “big, fat, heavy, colorful book”).

Each year, students and teachers send us their feedback. Highlights of some of the responses:

From teachers:

This program helped support our curriculum common core: fighting for a cause.
All of the actors were wonderful, the interactivity was grand!
I feel fortunate to have our students a part of this important program.

From students:

Bessie Hamm inspired me to do good things
Captain Sunfish did a great job telling us who we were going to see so we were not confused.
Austin Steward was my favorite; he made me feel stronger instead of weaker.
The best part was seeing the real emotions of the people.
Mary Jackson was poor but you can be poor and someone is still there for you.
The story that taught me the most is Bessie Hamm, because I want to go to college.
I think other kids should go to Walk the Walk because it inspired me.

Students from School 45 pose with “Anna Murray Douglass” [Photo courtesy David Boyer]