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February 4, 2025

Celebrating Black History Month: Community Perspectives with Alumna Sharon Daley-Johnson (BM ’88, MM ’89)

Please read the following personal Community Perspectives message from Sharon Daley-Johnson (BM ’88, MM ’89). Community Perspectives is a series of written messages to amplify MSM Community voices and to mark cultural celebrations. We hope you enjoy learning more about members of our community and these important occasions.

Dear MSM Community,

“On February 10, 1976, President Gerald R. Ford issued a message recognizing Black History Month, becoming the first President to do so.” (National Archives) I was 11 years old at the time and like most children, I did not understand the significance of celebrating or acknowledging this achievement. After all, Black History was barely a chapter in our Social Studies books. Plus, I had my own personal issues like any other teenager.

What I do remember was the historic movement to get Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day to become an official holiday, which happened during my time at MSM. Before this was official, many states and cities made his birthday a holiday. Every January 15th during this period, I refused to go to work or attend classes. There were only a handful of black students at MSM, and we made it a point to do this every year. This small, but important act allowed us to feel a sense of community and recognize this important holiday in our own way. Then, in 1983, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy was finally federally recognized but was not celebrated or observed until 1986. This was the first time that Black History meant something to me. I was involved in a cause that, in my opinion, would honor the greatest civil rights leader of all time.

So, what does Black History mean to me?

  • It’s celebrating through the arts and with the youth.
  • It’s hearing students sing about freedom because they know the meaning behind the song.
  • It’s going to events and celebrations around New York City.
  • It’s going to Washington DC with the Black Student Union.
  • It’s celebrating and performing for the past 6 years with the Black Student Union.
  • It’s being grateful for those who came before us.
  • It’s discovering those who we didn’t know came before us.
  • It’s letting the next generation know about history, so they see the signs and won’t repeat it.
  • It’s recognizing how our culture has changed the landscape of this country.

Most of all, Black History is about appreciating, understanding, and sharing the richness of our culture with humility, dignity, and grace. By extension, I see my job as an educator to help the next generations learn about the various cultures that have not been prominently featured in traditional school curricula. Many significant holidays began as a single day but are now celebrated weeks or months, such Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, and so many more.

In recognition of Black History Month, I would like to share books, movies, and songs that have inspired and broadened my perspective of our culture over the years.

Songs
“54-46 That’s My Number” by Toots and the Maytals
“A Portrait -When I Am Laid” from the Opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell, performed by Jessye Norman
“Everybody Clap Your Hands” by Joshua Troop
“Get Out My Life Woman” by Joe Williams with Thad Jones and the Mel Lewis Orchestra
“Hiawatha Overture” by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
“Hear My Voice” by Celeste
“How High the Moon” by Ella Fitzgerald
“Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic” by Isaac Hayes
“Oh Maker” by Janelle Monae
“Love Generation” by Bob Sinclair
“Yielding Heat of the Winter Hymn” by Niles Luther (BM ‘20)

Books and Films

  • “Stormy Weather” (1945, featuring The Nicholas Brothers)
  • “Carmen Jones” (1954)
  • “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou (1969)
  • “The Wiz” (1978)
  • “I Put a Spell on You” – The Autobiography of Nina Simone (1991)
  • “I am Not Your Negro” Based on James Baldwin’s manuscript Remember This House (2016 Documentary)
  • “Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes” (2022 Documentary; Ron Carter MM ’61, HonDMA ’98)

I am proud to be a collaborator for the Black Student Union (BSU)’s annual Black History Month concert, which will take place this Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 7:30pm in Neidorff Karpati Hall. This collaboration is particularly special for me because when I was a student, there was not an organization like the BSU until three years after I graduated. Seeing this organization serve our students in such special ways brings me great joy as an alum. I hope you all will join me at this event.

With Pride,

Sharon Daley-Johnson (BM ’88, MM ’89)
Founder and Director Emerita, Reaching for the Arts
Performing Arts Teacher, PS 180 Hugo Newman

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