Saturday morning, about 1,000 guests attended the ninth annual “Blacks in Wax Live Museum,” which told the stories of 40 influential African-Americans who are often overlooked or forgotten. The African American Cultural Center hosted the event.
“We want to educate the community as well as ourselves about our history as African-Americans,” said Kinesha Harris, a senior studying biological sciences and the chair of Blacks in Wax. “In school you don’t usually learn a lot about Black History Month; you learn the common Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. But in Blacks in Wax, you learn about people you haven’t heard of.”
As guests journeyed through the room, they heard stories from each of the different characters, who then would ask: “Who am I?”
Told were the stories of Loretta Lynch, the first female African-American attorney general, Dr. Patricia Bath, the first African-American woman to complete her residency in ophthalmology and to receive a medical patent, as well as many others.
Many characters’ struggles resonated with the audience, and the room quickly became heavy, laden with the emotion of students and guests.
“We need to spark the conversations that need to occur to understand others, even if they’re uncomfortable,” said Jordan Anderson, a junior studying environmental technology and a Blacks in Wax committee member.
Brooke Brown, a junior studying science, technology and society, portrayed the crowd favorite, Sandra Bland.
Bland was accused of assaulting a police officer and was forcefully removed from her car after she would not put out her cigarette following a request from the officer. Three days later, she was found hanging from the ceiling in her jail cell. As a result, Bland’s death has brought much attention to how white law enforcement officers treat blacks.
Harris stressed the importance of education as one of the key focal points of Black History Month and “Blacks in Wax.”
“Education is the key to a lot of things,” Harris said. “When you’re educated, you’re informed … Take advantage of the resources or the people that you have. Learn about any group that you don’t identify with.”
Many members of the community appreciated the “real,” engaging way that the history of the African-Americans featured was presented.
During a moment of reflection, mothers in attendance discussed how it is difficult for many black children to learn about this history in school, because it is often painted in a negative light.
The event was open to the NC State community, as well as the public.
We need to spark the conversations that need to occur to understand others, even if they’re uncomfortable.
Raelyn Robinson, a Senior studying Psychology, portrays Zina Garrison in the 9th Annual Blacks in Wax exibition. This event took place in Witherspoon and showcased famous African-American people in order to help others learn more about them on Feb. 20th, 2016.
