Monticello GAH Honors 365 Days of Black History

As Black History Month concludes this week several organizations and churches throughout Jasper County are concluding their annual salute to pioneers of Black History.

On Saturday the Monticello Get Ahead House (GAH) conducted its annual 365 Days of Black History program at Thomas Persons Hall with featured keynote speaker Rev. Samuel Mostellar. He is president of the Georgia Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and President/Chief Executive Officer of My Brother’s Keeper Africa and American Alliance as well as being active in many social and educational activities. Rev. Mostellar encouraged students to try to be the best they can be.

The event featured several performances in song, dance, and recitation by the GAH youth. Featured performances included a recitation of Maya Angelou’s poem “I Rise” by Terrija Vee Bostic, Remembrance skit by the Brynisha Clements-Perez class, Famous Writers skit by the Melissa Strozier class, Famous Negro Music and Arts skit by the Breneika Dennis class, and Famous Inventions skit by the Brenda Norris class.

The Monticello News columnist, Janet Jernigan, attended the GAH Black History program where she gave Jason Jones, who portrayed Duke Ellington in the program, a 50 year old program that she saved from a concert with Duke Ellington. His grandmother, Ella Heath, to his right, was a featured singer in the program.

Director of the Get Ahead House Roberta Anderson thanked parents, relatives and audience members for their attendance. She also introduced the current GAH board members.

Other programs honoring February as Black History Month were conducted in weeks prior. On February 10, St. James A.M.E. Church held its Founder’s Day and Youth Program which featured Jasper County High School (JCHS) freshman Joshua Manning as the guest speaker.

On February 17, Springfield Missionary Baptist Church hosted its annual Black History program which featured two guest speakers, Vincent Ten Bouwhuis of London, England and James T. Sampson of Monticello.

Mr. Sampson, a graduate of JCHS and Valdosta State University, lectured on the pre-integration in Jasper County schools in the early 1970’s when young African- American students (Freedom of Choice) volunteered to integrate the then Jasper County Training School into Washington Park School on Funderburg Drive. He encouraged his audience to research and embrace the rich black history.

“Remain proud of the heroic accomplishments that have been made, along with many more historic moments to come,” he said.

Mr. Sampson motivated the congregation to have a more active involvement the lives of the youth, from academics to extracurricular, because support and representation will impact them for the rest of their lives.

Holy Nation Church also hosted a Black History salute on February 24.