EAST ST. LOUIS - Students and staff at Dr. Katie Harper-Wright Elementary School in East St. Louis School District 189 marked Black History Month with a theme centered on a “time machine” journey through 100 years of Black excellence, highlighting influential African American individuals and movements from 1926 to 2026.

The school’s Black History celebration invited each grade level to “travel through time” by preparing a performance honoring a notable African American leader, trailblazer, or movement from a selected era.

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Presentations included music, spoken word, reenactments, dance, and other creative elements, according to information shared by the district.

The theme, described as “A Time Machine Through 100 Years of Black Excellence,” focused on people and movements that “have shaped history, culture, innovation, and progress over the past 100 years,” the district said.

The celebration was designed to bring history to life through student performances while recognizing a century of black excellence.

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