DOTHAN, Ala. – Throughout February, the Boys and Girls Club of the Wiregrass has been celebrating by bringing guest speakers from across the community to teach children about the importance of participating in Black History Month.
Dothan Club Director Larry Dickens said they have brought two speakers per week. Here the kids are given a chance to learn about important historical figures while also finding their place in history.
“Some of the speakers have talked about important Black people from history, but mostly they have talked about how important it is for this generation to be a part of the change,” Dickens said.
Wednesday’s speaker was Kienda Koonce, program director at The Carver Museum in Dothan.
“We usually plan to bring the kids to the museum during Black History Month, but with COVID that wasn’t possible this year,” Koonce said. “I decided I would come speak instead.”
Koonce’s speech focused primarily on the importance of learning and knowing history so it can be a motivating factor in a student’s own endeavors in life, while giving examples of prominent Black historical figures to prove her point. She got the children involved by teaching them uplifting statements to help them remember that they can change the world similar to the famous figures she spoke about.
