Athens youth learn about Black music history as part of push to open Joy Village School
History is always relevant, and for Lora Turner Smothers, centering Black people's role in it can change the lives of Black youth in Athens.
Last week, Smothers held a two-day music camp at the Miriam Moore Community Services Center, where kids were introduced to the history of Black music in America. They learned the evolution of Black music art forms, different instruments and even participated in a spiritual scavenger hunt.
The music camp comes as a part of Smothers' effort to open the Joy Village School, a private school that will be based in Athens and cater to kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
"That idea came to me after having a variety of experiences at different schools in town and really seeing our Black students be misunderstood, overdisciplined, overlooked and not having a place where they fit," said Smothers, founder and director of Joy Village School.
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After several conversations with parents who shared similar concerns, she decided to open her own school.
"Once I had the vision for the school, then I asked myself what baby steps could I take to get there? To get the word out about what kind of school this would be," Smothers said.
Over the summer, she started pop-up schools called Black History Adventures. She visited the Varsity, the Morton Theatre and other sites, where students learned each location's historical significance for the Black community in Athens.
"Once summer ended, I knew I wanted to have a lengthier experience for families to be able to try out what the Joy Village School would be like — that's where the idea for the camps came," she said.
At the camp, pictures of Black music legends adorned the walls — from singer and activist Nina Simone to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, known as the godmother of rock and roll. Hanging from the ceilings were musical notes to set the atmosphere.
The first day included kids creating a timeline showing how music changed from spirituals during slavery to hip hop and R&B today. They also learned about a variety of instruments and engaged in a spiritual scavenger hunt.
On the second day, kids time-traveled to watch a performance by jazz legend Louis Armstrong, who performed in Athens in 1957. Teachers and students alike dressed up as patrons of an old jazz club, while three students imitated the performances of Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Cab Calloway.
Miya Ramsey, 6, said the performance was exciting and that she enjoyed dressing up.
"I learned a lot of stuff, but we had fun," she said.
Her sister, Maya Ramsey, 11, said she learned a lot about her culture and Black music. Armstrong was one of several musicians she learned about, she said.
"This is important because you learn a whole bunch," she said of the camp. "Especially about Black culture. There's a lot of things you need to know about the past if you're Black so that you can understand more about the people who came before you and helped out."
Smothers said around 25 children signed up for the camps and that parents have been supportive. She has also raised more than $50,000 to cover a building lease, utilities and initial supplies. The school is tentatively set to open in August.
Smothers said her experience as a director for Freedom to Grow Unschool, an alternative learning center in Hull that is now closed, has helped prepare her.
"The need is so urgent and I just feel equipped to jump right in," she said. "Honestly, the Lord has provided every resource, and really the community has responded to this idea in a strong way."
The next Joy Village School camp theme will be Kwanzaa camp on Dec. 20 and 21. Parents can visit joyvillageschool.com to learn more.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Joy Village School camp teaches Black music history to Athens youth
