Teacher portrays prominent African American figures through wardrobe

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WTVY) - Many Wiregrass students are spending February learning about the importance of black history.

For one local 4th grade teacher, the project is much bigger, with a unique way on celebrating history each day.

“Today I’m Michelle Obama, and I decided to dress up as her because she was the first African First Lady in the White House,” says Patricia Freeman a History teacher at Ashford Elementary.

She finds creative ways each day in February to teach students about black history.

Freeman explains, “History is not one of those subjects that is very fun, but if you bring out some of the good characteristics of history, and like the people, dressing up like they dressed up and telling a little bit of information about yourself, it makes the students more interested.”

Her approach began last year, and she knew it was something she wanted to continue.

“This year I’m kinda looking at different African Americans and researching to see what they did in the past and how that has helped others now,” says Freeman.

She says dressing up grabs students’ attention, making them want to learn more about black history.

Everyone she portrays comes from a place of inspiration.

Freeman continues, “All the hardships they had, the difficult times that they had, but they pulled through and made something out of themselves.”

She names just a few: “Ruby Bridges, Cicely Tyson, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Oprah Winfrey.”

Soon, these students will be familiar with 28 African Americans who made a lasting impact on history.

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