Uptown School Complex Brings Amistad Curriculum to Life Through Student-Led Black History Fair

ATLANTIC CITY – Uptown School Complex held a Black History assembly and presentation fair on Thursday, March 12, 2026, to highlight the school’s fulfillment of state Amistad legislation requirements.

Uptown School Complex Principal Dr. Ananda Davis-Wright said it is important that students gain awareness of the mid-Atlantic slave trade as well as the contributions of African Americans. “Every grade level had their own interpretation that was age-appropriate,” said Davis-Wright. “We took the curriculum and we brought it to life.”

The principal said she was pleasantly surprised by the creative ways students demonstrated their understanding of the material. “I’m still digesting some of the things that our children have done,” Davis-Wright said. “We wanted to make sure that they realize this is just the beginning. Understanding African history and African American history is a life-long endeavor.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. La’Quetta S. Small said the Amistad curriculum plays a critical role in helping students connect with history in meaningful and lasting ways. “Experiences like this bring history to life for our students in a way that goes beyond textbooks. When students are able to explore, present, and express what they’ve learned, it deepens their understanding and builds a strong foundation of cultural awareness and pride.”

Devan Blackwell, Atlantic County Education Specialist, for the New Jersey Department of Education, who attended the fair, said Amistad legislation speaks to cultural awareness and must be taught from kindergarten through 12th grade. “It is very important that students are given an opportunity to learn the history and lived experiences of marginalized people,” said Blackwell. “Most importantly, students see resiliency in the arts, in literature, in music, product creations and hopefully not only do students learn about historical events, hopefully they are also inspired to carve out their own space in history.”

• Students in pre-kindergarten developed a presentation about African American Olympians.
• Kindergarten students did a presentation called “We Shall Overcome.”
• First Grade focused on Black History Shining Bright
• 2nd Grade focused on Adinkra Symbols, which are visual symbols that represent concepts, proverbs, and aphorisms that originated from the Akans of Ghana in the 1700s.
• 3rd Grade prepared a presentation on the Tuskeegee Airmen
• 4th Grade developed a Game Show about Black Astronauts
• 5th Grade created a presentation on author Nikki Grimes, who is a Children’s Literacy Legacy Award winner
• 6th Grade presented a poster display and “A moment in their shoes.”
• 7th-8th grade created original poster displays ranging from the civil rights movement to sports.

Queen Parrish, who is in the 8th grade, studied the Dred Scott case, which led to the Dred Scott decision, of 1857.

Under this landmark litigation, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the United States Constitution did not grant American citizenship to Black people of African descent. Furthermore, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, who wrote the 7-2 decision, established that people of African descent “are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word ‘citizens’ in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States.”

In Scott v. Sanford, Dred Scott argued that when his slave master took him from Missouri, a slave holding state, to the free state of Illinois and the free territory of Wisconsin, he became free by virtue of being an American citizen. The court disagreed, which ultimately led to the civil war. Later, the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery, and 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” were written to supersede the Dred Scott decision.

“He’s such an important person because he fought for his freedom and he took it to court,” said Parrish. “It inspired me the way he fought for his freedom.”

Jayla Branch, who is also in 8th grade, did a poster on the Brown v. Board of Education case, which desegregated schools, declaring the doctrine of “Separate but equal” unconstitutional.

“It makes me value my education,” said Branch.

Davis-Wright said the challenge is bringing the curriculum to life in a meaningful way.

“It has been a long arduous process to integrate it and actually have something tangible that the students are producing,” Davis-Wright said. “We’re glad that we were challenged to put these presentations together."

To see a gallery of student work, click the link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/N58jnCjv2Fywj4PG9

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