Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Politics/National
NationalNews

Teacher’s Remarkable Black History Art Celebrates Blackness and Beauty

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)
black history month class art

Marguerite Thompson’s Facebook post has more than 43,000 shares. (Facebook/Marguerite Thompson)

A New York City teacher is going viral for her unapologetically Black classroom art in celebration of Black History Month.

Marguerite Thompson said on Facebook Tuesday, Feb. 13 that she recreated a piece of artwork on her classroom door “in the spirit of Black History Month.”

“It was a source of inspiration for us as we continue to create memories of self,” she said of the choice made by her class. “We named our door ‘Adebayo’ which means ‘the crown meets joy’ in Yoruba. This name is fitting as we celebrate the beauty in our blackness, and challenge societal standards of beauty. Happy Black History Month from my class to all of you!”

The post was accompanied by images of the massive artwork. It featured a Black woman in a huge afro appearing to wear a shirt adorned with photos of civil rights leaders and heroes like Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm, Michelle Obama and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She sportd a Kente print bow in her afro and her shirt had a Kente print border.

Several commenters praised the artwork for its creativity and positive embrace of Black culture.

“Very creative and priceless,” one person commented.

“So beautiful!!!” said another. “So proud to see excellent positive in our young kids.”

“Love this so much!!!” someone else remarked.

“We need more of this in Our schools, another said. “Teach Our children about there history. Job well done. I love it.”

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top