Empowerment and knowledge focus of Black History Month program

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·4 min read
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COSHOCTON − Brittany Mbray of Warsaw hoped her presentations were fun for students, but also that they came away with knowing more than they did about African Americans for Black History Month.

Brittany Mbray of Warsaw recently spoke to students to Coshocton Elementary School and Sacred Heart Catholic School for Black History Month. "A lot of the community doesn't really teach Black children how amazing their history is. It doesn't start at slavery and it didn't end at slavery," she said.
Brittany Mbray of Warsaw recently spoke to students to Coshocton Elementary School and Sacred Heart Catholic School for Black History Month. "A lot of the community doesn't really teach Black children how amazing their history is. It doesn't start at slavery and it didn't end at slavery," she said.

This past week, Mbray worked with all students at Sacred Heart Catholic School and six classes of different grade levels at Coshocton Elementary School. She talked about how Black History Month started, its importance and contributions made by African Americans to society − from potato chips to the traffic light. Freedom quilts were made as a craft.

Because Mbray had more time at Sacred Heart, students there did more projects and also watched a movie about Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school at the age of 6 in 1960.

Mbray has spoken at public events in the past, such as two Juneteenth celebrations held on the Coshocton Court Square, but this is the first time she's worked in schools.

"I want to empower everybody with the fact that there are so many Black contributions that should be celebrated everyday, but especially during the month of February. So many people made sacrifices so February could be Black History Month," Mbray said. "There are so many fun things kids can learn and be excited about and go home and tell their parents. 'Do you know this happened?' That's all I want for them, to recognize and understand how similar we are, but celebrate how amazing our differences are."

Mbray has four children ages 16, 10, 7 and 4. Three go to Sacred Heart and the other attends the Coshocton County Career Center. They were home schooled while living in Canada. The family moved to the area in 2020. Mbray is originally from Cleveland, but her family has owned land in Warsaw for years, she said.

"They are really empowered and very comfortable in their skin and very knowledgeable because I teach them at home," Mbray said of her children. "But a lot of the community doesn't really teach Black children how amazing their history is. It doesn't start at slavery and it didn't end at slavery. All the children know about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, but there are people who created the carbon filament in the lightbulb and the stop light and a bunch of other amazing Black contributions children just don't know about."

Brittany Mbray of Warsaw recently did Black History Month presentations at Coshocton Elementary School and Sacred Heart Catholic School. It included talking about contributions Africans Americans have made to society, like Garrett Morgan who had several inventions and developed a traffic light with three lights, adding the middle yellow light.
Brittany Mbray of Warsaw recently did Black History Month presentations at Coshocton Elementary School and Sacred Heart Catholic School. It included talking about contributions Africans Americans have made to society, like Garrett Morgan who had several inventions and developed a traffic light with three lights, adding the middle yellow light.

Mbray said enrolling her children in any school scared her as she didn't want them to be bullied or picked on because of their skin color. She wanted them in a small school where they could all be together, leading her to Sacred Heart. A teacher told her of another Black student there who has expressed dislike about being Black and how she has no Black role models.

Mbray said hearing that broke her heart and that encouraged her to do the Black History Month program. She knows Coshocton isn't that diverse and there aren't many African Americans in leadership positions locally.

"The people aren't ignorant, they just don't know. They just haven't had anybody teach them and show them. It's not diverse at all. The lack of understanding is because there's no diversity," Mbray said.

Tony Meiser, kindergarten to second grade principal for CES, said diversity and inclusion is important and they want to make sure all students are being treated equal no matter their race, gender or other factors.

"It was a great opportunity to have her here," he said of Mbray. "Black History Month is super important and we want to make sure we're giving that experience to our students."

Brittany Mbray of Warsaw recently spoke to students to Coshocton Elementary School and Sacred Heart Catholic School for Black History Month. This included a doing a freedom quilt craft. Mbray has published three children's books, including one highlighting black history and African American contributions to society.
Brittany Mbray of Warsaw recently spoke to students to Coshocton Elementary School and Sacred Heart Catholic School for Black History Month. This included a doing a freedom quilt craft. Mbray has published three children's books, including one highlighting black history and African American contributions to society.

Mbray is also a children's book author with three works published. They are available on Amazon and other online retailers. They are "How I See: COVID-19," "Brown Boy, Brown Boy, Tell Me What You See" and "Ozza the Okapi."

All her books have Black main characters. She was encouraged to write these books while teaching her youngest son to read, realizing there weren't many children's books with Black characters.

"Representation is so important. When you see Black greatness and you understand it and see when it's available to you as much as our counterparts, it does a great deal for children," Mbray said.

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with close to 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Empowerment and knowledge focus of Black History Month program