On Feb. 21, LT will celebrate Black History Month by offering students and staff the opportunity to attend the annual “Rooted in Love, United in Legacy” program, which will showcase a variety of performances by local artists and school clubs. 

“It’s a privilege to celebrate Black History Month in a school environment for several reasons,” presenter and LT alumnus (2007) Samuel Dewese said. “Chiefly, the opportunity to bring the story of my real-life experiences to LT allows all of us, myself included, to reflect on the ongoing nature of history. Reminding people that Black History is an ever-unfolding thing is both thrilling and humbling.”

Featuring 14 unique shows, the presentations will simultaneously occur at the SC PAC and NC Reber Center, spotlighting different artists in each period except eighth hour, Director of Equity and Belonging Jennifer Rowe said. Ranging from opera to the field of STEM, each performance will create an experience for students to interact with a form of art. 

“This year we have some amazing musical performance groups,” Rowe said. “We have a Bomba band looking at the Afro-Latino experience, a show called Chicago Loves Jazz discussing Chicago’s connection to jazz music, and an opera singer, Samuel Dewese.” 

In addition to the local Chicago presenters, specific performances will include students who are members of the LT Steepers, the Choir, and the Jazz Ensemble. The Steepers will be participating in the Cypher Corner presentation with two artists, a singer and a poet. Members of the choir will join Dewese on the stage while LT jazz musicians will perform alongside the Chicago Loves Jazz show.  

“Where my presentation is concerned, one of the things I hope students learn is how dedicated their teachers and mentors are to their success,” Dewese said. “I also hope students will glean some proof that they can stick to their ideals and flourish on their terms.”

In addition to the presentations, a poetry workshop will be held for two periods in smaller sessions, allowing students to work exclusively with a poet. Teachers are able to register their students in the select periods for the workshop alongside the other presentations. 

The “Rooted in Love, United in Legacy” program allows students to connect with local artists on shared interests and unearth more of their collective past. Learning the origins of their music and understanding their history helps students grasp how all LT community members are connected despite everyone’s different backgrounds. 

“Whenever we celebrate Veteran’s Day or Women’s History Month, it’s a touchstone to make learning our history come alive for students,” Rowe said. “I find it to be the greatest gift when students say they walked out learning something new because some students might not be able to access these types of programs in their everyday life, but we are bringing these experiences to them here at school.”