Black History Month Project at Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School
Program Type: Comprehensive After School Program
Population: 65 students; grades K-4
Creative Alliance provides comprehensive out of school time programming to students in grades K-4 at Tench Tilghman Elementary/ Middle School. Each day, students receive homework help, exercise, art enrichment, snack, and supper. Our art enrichment activities include: theater, puppetry, African drumming, cultural dance, and fine art.
In celebration of Black History Month a select group of Creative Alliance at Tench Tilghman students have studied four highly influential African American musicians: Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Leontyne Price, and Jimi Hendrix. First, they viewed various performances by the selected artists on YouTube. Afterwards, students discussed the impact these musicians have had on current music, including pop, hip hop, rock, jazz, R&B, and soul. In the end, the students embodied the spirit of each musician by recreating famous portraits of them.
These portraits were recently exhibited as part of the National Aquarium’s Black History Month Community Celebration. The portraits will also be on view at Creative Alliance as part of the Envisioning History: Johns Hopkins Black History Month Art Competition from Feb 27 – Mar 17, 2015.
Billie Holiday: Courtney B., 3rd grade
Ray Charles: Cortez B., 3rd grade
Jimi Hendrix: Raymon H., 3rd grade
Leontyne Price: Milae G., 3rd grade
Photo Credit: Cieara Adams, Creative Alliance at Tench Tilghman Program Assistant
Creative Alliance at Tench Tilghman is a comprehensive after school education program of Creative Alliance. Funding for this project has been provided in part by THE FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE CITY, INC. Special thanks to Tench Tilghman’s Principal Yon and Vice Principal Williams and all of the wonderful Creative Alliance students, administrators, teaching artists, and assistants.
