Exploring Brooklyn's Role in the Underground Railroad

Black History Month was celebrated at P.S. 261 on February 13 with an assembly featuring Brooklyn’s role in the Underground Railroad. A moving play, “Freedom Ring,” written by parent Carole Kelly, was enacted by upper-grade students. The play focused on the freeing of a nine-year-old enslaved girl, known as Pinky, by the nearby Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in 1860. We were honored to have in the audience Ms. Sophie Williams-Johnson, Pinky’s grandniece.

Karyn Fessler-West’s fourth and fifth grade Dance Kids were stunning in two excerpts from Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations”: the dramatic “Buked” and the lively “Wade in the Water.” Karyn’s choreography and costumes were breathtaking. Ebony Johnson gave a majestic solo dance performance.

Magalie Dudley treated us to a powerful rendition of “I Want to be Ready.” The chorus, directed by Becky Ponka sang “Life Every Voice” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.” Kim Tulloch and Becca Sacra’s Class 4-415 sang “Frederick Douglass,” by jazz artist Nicole Mitchell, and 1-208, 209 and 210 offered a stirring version of “Power and Glory.” The after-school African drumming class provided an exciting background beat for the entire show.

The keynote speaker, Etu Evans, a philanthropist and award-winning shoe designer, exhorted the students to pursue their dreams, and called some children up to the stage to declare what their dreams were and how they would achieve them.

Besides those mentioned above, so many need to be thanked, among them: Zipporiah Mills, Lena Barbera and Carmen Perez. Carole Kelly and Pat Collins, co-chairs of the Black History Month Committee and committee members Eslyn Alexander, Bianca Dorsey, Tiffany Folks, Ramona Fluker, Sadia Graham-Ellis, Sharon Greene-O‘Kane, Nadine Jervis, Denise Little, Janet Naeemah Williams and Avra Wing. Liz Sharp and Chris Buckley, Lois Rosebrooks, Cornelia Porter, Bweela Steptoe, Diane Packard, Susan Hyacinth, Anna Machiote, Marisa DeChiara, Millie DeStefano, Yvonne Edwards, Megan Kane, Stephanie Scarborough, Allisyn Levy, Chris Peyser. Living Legends Dr. Millicent Comrie, Steven Harris and Cheryl Smith, who spoke to various classes during February. And of course, to all the children who put in so much effort and performed so beautifully.