The DISD recorded the Black History Month assembly to share it with a wider audience. Watch the assembly on YouTube.

On the last day of Black History Month, Feb. 28, Danville High School held a school-wide assembly. It included guest speakers Melinda Weathers and Michael Hughes, performances by the DHS choir, and recorded student-led interviews with community members. Two students also read poetry. 

The "motto" that was displayed on the projector prior to the program was "Celebrating Diversity. Embracing Identities. Demanding Inclusion." DHS hopes to incorporate this mantra into future celebrations of diversity and heritage and host more events like the Feb. 28 Black History Month assembly. 

After a short introduction from Assistant Principal Tomma Huguely, the choir opened with the song "Amazing" by Pinkzebra. The choir also closed the program with the song "Instruments of Your Peace," which is adapted from a prayer by St. Francis of Assisi, arranged by Kirk Dearman. 

The assembly featured two recorded student-led interviews. After the choir's first song, a video interview between senior Xzavion Brown and Bobby Trumbo played. One thing Trumbo spoke about was Bate School prior to integration, as well as the impact integration had locally and within his own family. Trumbo attended Bate High School starting in the mid-1950s, then graduated from DHS in 1967. He was later a teacher at DHS for many years. 

The other student-led interview played during the assembly was between senior Anyah Higginson and Catina Stokes, who owns local restaurant The Catered Dog. Stokes spoke about being a Black business owner in Danville, what motivates and inspires her, her goals for the future, and more. 

The students who read poetry during the assembly were sophomore TyTy Miller, who read "I, Too" by Langston Hughes, and sophomore Londyn Jackson, who read "Advice Poem" by Alora Young. 

Guest speakers were Melinda Weathers, who is Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Centre College and the Danville Independent School District's newest board of education member, and Michael Hughes, President of the Danville-Boyle County African-American Historical Society. Both are graduates of Danville Schools. Like Trumbo, Hughes attended Bate High School prior to integration. 

Weathers spoke about her ancestry and her experience visiting Ghana, Africa, where she said some of her ancestors were from. She spoke about the pain her ancestors who were slaves went through. She also spoke about how society can celebrate diversity now. 

Hughes spoke about the history of Bate School and how he remembers the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which happened the same year he graduated from Danville High School, 1968. He also spoke about the history of Black History Month, and more. 

Click the button below to watch the whole assembly. 

Watch the Black History Month assembly.