The Belfield Banter: Black History Month

The Belfield Banter

Excerpts of Our Community’s John Lewis Reflection

Submitted by Students and Faculty

How is your own community asking you to change? What makes it hard socially and personally to get in ‘good trouble’?

“It can be hard to get into “good trouble” because people care about what others think of them.”

“It’s hard socially and personally to get into ‘good trouble’ because of fear. Fear of other people’s thoughts and the way others may interact with you or perceive you, if you get into ‘good trouble’.”

“There may be a sense of fear when trying to make good trouble. [There can be a] scary feeling of ‘am I doing the right thing, is this going to help or be seen?’ You would want someone else to step up first, but we should be the person to step up first.”

artwork by Kalani Clark

A Few Favorite Books by Black Authors

by Lyra Stewart

Last month, I wrote recommendations for books that I had read recently and enjoyed, and since February is Black History Month, I’ve compiled some of my favorite and most anticipated titles by Black authors!

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

In The Vanishing Half, two twin girls, both lightskinned Black women, run away from home after experiencing trauma at sixteen. One marries a darkskinned Black man and has a child while the other lives her life passing as a white woman. The book follows their lives and how they differ from one another yet remain connected as the story explores identity, family, and race. I have read this book and really enjoyed it as it gave me new perspectives as we look at how the two women’s lives differ as it touches on important topics, but also has a beautiful story.

artwork by Taja Carey

“Fear of being judged. Lack of knowledge. Fear of failure. Lack of courage.”

“It depends on what community you are in. The STAB community asks you to change - you can be the best version of yourself. But other communities might want you to change based on their beliefs and not yours. Sometimes, ‘good trouble’ is seen as just trouble. Furthermore, what is right might not be what is socially expected.”

What is a concrete action you can take to help make our community more inclusive?

“Little things like holding doors and saying hi in the halls go a long way. Starting a conversation with someone new or inviting others to a lunch table. These things go a long way and can change the culture of the school.”

“[An impactful action] doesn’t need to be something that sparks major change. It can be as simple as saying hi to others or introducing yourself to someone new. Inclusivity is about letting others know about who you are and that you know who others are.”

“Our community is asking us to change and make our school more inclusive. This can include students being more intentional with their actions and behaviors, broadening friendships, and going out of their way to educate themselves and talk about [important issues].”

“I can join a club dedicated to creating a more inclusive school like True Diversity. Our community needs to stand up for the injustice we see. Our school needs to push for education based on seeing all perspectives, which it mostly already does. We need to push for schools to stop banning books because education is vital to the creation of a better community for everyone.”

“I can help to make our community more inclusive by always inviting others to whatever I’m doing. I can invite people to do things/sit with them and I can make sure I do everything I can to make people feel included in whatever activity/club/class that I am doing.”

“Become a person who stands up for the groups that you are not a part of. When we show support for minority groups that are now a part of ourselves, it shows that we are in support of ending their struggles even if we do not face them ourselves. It shows compassion and in turn, creates a more inclusive community.”

“Address the words you hear from others - language matters, folks get too comfortable with slang and slurs. There’s love in our community but we forget that sometimes.”

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age tells the story of a 25-year-old Black woman named Emira, who works as a babysitter to a young white girl. She is then accused of being a kidnapper when she takes the child to the supermarket, and the book continues to follow the events and emotions of Emira after the false accusation. I have not read this book, but it is on my list and I hope to read it soon!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

In The Hate U Give, sixteen-year-old Starr Carter feels in between two worlds as she lives in a lower-income Black neighborhood, but goes to a predominantly white preparatory school. After a party, she witnesses a police officer fatally shoot her childhood best friend, Khalil, causing her world(s) to shatter as she transforms her trauma and grief into activism. I really enjoyed this book when I read it in middle school. It is a very emotional read as it’s about a girl similar to my age, and the story is filled with grief, but it’s an incredibly important and beautifully told story. The book is also very inspirational as Starr takes action to celebrate her late friend.

Alex-Zan and the Charlottesville 12

by Jack Dozier

Community Forums at the Upper School are often a time where students hear words of wisdom and inspirational stories. The forty minutes allotted on Wednesdays, whether taking the form of remarks from business experts and local historians, previews of student productions, or student presentations, are always valuable and educational. As part of the Saints Black Student Union programming for Black History Month (of which this issue of The Belfield Banter is included), Charles Alexander, better known by the sobriquet Alex-Zan, visited the Upper School to talk about kindness, perspective, and his life story.

Your Turn: A Poem

by Mrs. Sandra Sohne-Johnson

I’ve given you nearly 46 years

Almost a half-century on this earth

Raised in Western educational systems

Your history

Your language

Your God

Your culture

Your norms

Educated

My fault?

46

No escape

Television

Magazines

History books

Museums

Movies

Neighborhoods

Schools

My fault?

I’ve given you nearly 46 years.

Invest one hour, one day, one week, one month of your time in me.

Am I not worthy of your time?

Am I not worthy of your energy?

Am I not worthy of your love?

Will you be my ally?

Do you have my back?

Does my life matter?

Do you have the will to try?

Donate

Protest

Read

Listen

Stand up

Say something

Do something

Take action

Educate yourself

46 years

Almost a half-century on this earth

Educated about you

When will you learn about me?

Mr. Alex-Zan is a local figure known for his workshops and socioemotional innovation, though he is additionally known for being a member of the Charlottesville

The City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, prior to the late 1950s, equally have a troubled past through the process of school desegregation and integration. Following the 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education by the United States Supreme Court, the Charlottesville City School District refused to integrate local public schools and denied transfer requests from Black families for the 1955 academic year. A consortium of local Black families sued the Charlottesville School Board the following year in an effort to integrate the schools, and the United States 4th District Court promptly ruled in-favor of the families. Later, in 1957, the Charlottesville City School Board attempted to appeal the case to the United States Supreme Court but did not succeed. Following the orders to open all schools to Black families, the Charlottesville City Schools refused and ceased operations beginning in 1958. Though, following pressure from local, outraged families, the schools reopened in February 1959 in a limited capacity. The following September, at the opening of the school year, twelve students (known as the “Charlottesville Twelve”) successfully integrated Lane High School and Venable Elementary School. That September, Mr. Alexander walked the steps of Venable Elementary accompanied by his mother and two future classmates.

In his visit to the Upper School, the stage of Grisham Hall focused around a crowded rectangular table adorned on each side by signs detailing some of Mr. Alex-Zan’s characters and mantras. As he explained lessons of thinking before acting and on “watching your words,” he introduced one of his principal characters, YoGo. YoGo, whose name stands for “Yo! Let it go!,” is meant to teach people of all ages within the Charlottesville-Albemarle community to take a moment and “let it go”. As detailed in his presentation, YoGo is one of Mr. Alexander’s five characters and one of his 100+ copyrights and four trademarks. As Mr. Alex-Zan’s presentation spanned topics of mental health, peer pressure, achievement, and well-being, he remained engaging to all audience members and radiated energy of warmth and enthusiasm. After Mr. Alex-Zan’s invigorating presentation, the impact of his excitement and joy was palpable throughout the school. His messages of self-confidence and kindness were appreciated by many, and our School was so fortunate to welcome such an impactful trailblazer of local history.

artwork by Kalani Clark

The Banter’s Black History Month Playlist

by The Belfield Banter Staff

“Good Days”

by SZA

“Damage”

by H.E.R.

“EARFQUAKE”

by Tyler, The Creator

“Save Your Tears” by the

Weeknd

A Brief History of Jazz Pt. I

by Kay Tu

“When you don’t know what it is, it’s jazz.” - Unknown

The Late 19th Century: Blues and Ragtime

“Respect”

by Aretha Franklin

“U.N.I.T.Y”

by Queen Latifah

“HUMBLE.”

by Kendrick Lamar

Hailing from the illustrious Mississippi River delta, blues music emerged as an early form of Black expression born out of laborers’ passionate call to arms. In 1876, the federal government introduced an act to restrain the emancipated black community, leading to a mass exodus of hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who journeyed in all directions and disseminated resonant blues melodies throughout the United States. As they traversed through various cities, these itinerant musicians established vital hubs that fostered the growth and evolution of blues music. Among these cities, New Orleans, located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, emerged as a critical center due to its vibrant diversity of cultures and influences.

“Don’t Stop the Music”

by Rihanna

“Feeling Good”

by Nina Simone

Because it is a major port city, New Orleans stands out amongst its contemporaries as a meeting place of an abundance of ethnicities, and people. A kaleidoscope of cultures from across the globe, New Orleans is home to people from Africa, France, the Carribean, Italy, Germany, Mexico, India, and England, to name a few.

by Marvin Gaye

“Make Me Feel”

by Janelle Monáe

Drawing people from far and wide, the vibrant city serves as a convergence point for an array of ethnic groups, where cultures intermingle and diverse melodies fill the air. Reveling in a musical spectrum as broad as it is captivating, New Orleans echoes with the rhythmic beats of traditional African percussion, the soaring melodies of symphonic music and opera, the lively cadences of marching bands, funeral and wedding bands, the rustic charm of country folk, the stirring harmonies of gospel music, the fiery rhythms of Latin music, and the heartfelt strains of various forms of church music.

“Fast Car”

by Tracy Chapman

Jazz music is yet another example of Black Excellence, as it was pioneered by Black musicians whose mark on the genre and world of music as a whole is still felt today. Educated from esteemed families, these Black luminaries possessed a refined understanding of European classical music but bore a deep connection to their African musical heritage.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

“ALIEN

by Beyoncé

by Janet Jackson

“Superstition”

by Stevie Wonder

by Mavis Staples

Their backgrounds led them to fuse the lofty elements of classical music with the lively spontaneity of ragtime. This crucial combination would form the bedrock of jazz music. By adroitly interweaving African-origin syncopated sections into classical compositions, these musically gifted individuals subverted the conventional confines of their European predecessors. They wove together a tapestry of playful and humorous melodies that defied expectations, replete with buoyant light and heavy rhythms that danced and frolicked with classical music. This era coincided with a large influx of individuals of African descent, who migrated en masse to New Orleans, where their own brand of blues music melded seamlessly with the melting pot of ragtime and various other ethnic sounds, giving rise to the extraordinary and multifaceted genre of jazz music.

1920 - 1933: Echoes of the Jazz Age

by Prince

by Steve Lacy

by Chuck Berry

Nostalgia for the Roaring Twenties remains strong today, as it was a time of excess and extravagance. The 1920s were a time of profound societal change, marked by the rise of jazz music, which quickly became the era’s soundtrack. It was a time of flappers, and bootleggers, where the revelers were young, carefree, and full of life. The Art Deco architecture and fashionable clothing of the time are still celebrated today. The enduring legacy of jazz music is a testament to its incredible impact on society at the time. The music was everywhere, from speakeasies to ballrooms to the radio, and it captured the spirit of the times like no other genre. The power and energy of jazz music became synonymous with the vibrancy and dynamism of the 1920s. The decade will forever be remembered as one of the most exciting and transformative in American history.

by Lizzo

by Frank Ocean

“Pursuit

“Honey”

by Kehlani

by Kid Cudi

“Blessed”

by Daniel Caesar

Nestled within the shimmering and secretive speakeasies that emerged after Prohibition, jazz music thrived as the intoxicating elixir that enlivened the souls of the rebellious youth and the carefree flappers of the era. As saxophones blared, trumpets blazed, and rhythms of drums pulsed with life, the air was filled with electric energy that crackled with passion and excitement. Against the backdrop of a nation struggling to reconcile its newfound modernity with its deep-seated conservatism, jazz music became a lightning rod for controversy, with some condemning its supposed “immorality” while others reveled in its provocative and seductive charms. And yet, amid the turmoil and change, the Jazz Age continued to roar on, captivating the hearts and minds of millions and leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of America. As the famed writer F. Scott Fitzgerald would later write in a 1931 essay, “Echoes of the Jazz Age”: “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire…”

SUPERSTAR”

“All For You”

“You Are Not Alone”

“1999”

“Don’t Touch My Hair”

by: Solange feat. Sampha

“Mercury”

“Johnny B. Goode”

“Special”

“Forrest Gump”

of Happiness”

Editor’s Note

by Sasha Rinkevich

Dear St. Anne’s-Belfield School Community,

Happy Black History Month! Those of us at The Belfield Banter are overjoyed to share with you our Black Excellence featured issue in collaboration with the Black Student Union. This month, our school community has heard words from Black leaders and trailblazers such as Alex-Zan and Malo Hutson, and wonderful student and faculty voices. Celebrating Black Excellence while also acknowledging the hardships and adversity that Black people have faced, and continue to face, in our world is incredibly important.

In this issue of The Belfield Banter, we have contributions such as coverage of BHM festivities, poetry about race and identity, thoughts on how to make our school a more inclusive place, incredible artwork, and some musical and literary recommendations! On behalf of Banter Publications, I truly hope that you each enjoy this issue.

I would like to wholeheartedly thank all that made this issue possible, especially Banter Publications, our wonderful staff and contributors, Mr. Taylor, Taja and the BSU, Mrs. Sohne-Johnson, and Mr. Stinnie. And, of course, each person that is reading this issue and editor’s note!

If you have any questions or concerns, or are interested in getting involved with The Banter, please don’t hesitate to reach out to srinkevich23@students.stab. org or thebelfieldbanter@students.stab.org

Warm wishes and gratitude, Sasha

Rinkevich, Senior Editor

2022-23 Staff of The Belfield Banter

Sasha Rinkevich--- Senior Editor

Izzy Sanok--------- Managing Editor

Rose Ryan-Byrne--Asst. Managing Editor

Kay Tu-------------- Columns Editor

Anthony Cai-------- Features Editor

Liam Robertson---- Sports Editor

Lyra Stewart-------- Associate Editor

Sonia Kamath------ Associate Editor

Banter Publications

Jack Dozier and Emma Finley-Gillis Editors in Chief

artwork by Izzy Sanok

artwork by Taja Carey