To celebrate Black History Month, Berkeley High School students and staff gathered for an assembly that combined Black history and education with entertainment on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
The assembly began with trivia on Black culture and historical figures and events while the student body competed to answer questions correctly to win candy or a BHS Black Student Union (BSU) t-shirt.
Before performances commenced, students stood for a student performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a poem written in 1900 as a tribute to African Americans’ persistence despite facing racial injustice during the Jim Crow era. The poem was later transformed into a song and titled the “Black National Anthem” by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909 as one of America’s oldest civil rights organizations, which fights to eliminate race-based discrimination and secure political, social, educational, and economic equality. It remains well known as the Black National Anthem today.
BHS’ African American (AfAm) studies department and BSU collaborated to organize the event. According to AfAm studies teacher lead Spencer Pritchard, the program aimed to highlight the 11.6 percent of African American students at BHS.
“It’s a celebration of Black life and culture, and how it’s still alive and well here at (BHS) despite gentrification and the decline of enrollment of Black students,” he said.
African Diaspora dance students performed a rhythmic piece that included elements of a style with Papua New Guinean origins, while drumming students in the BHS jazz program provided rhythm and music. The routine was previously performed at the BHS winter showcase, so students reviewed choreography and timing in preparation for the assembly.
Kylie Chen, a freshman taking African Diaspora dance, felt the assembly was especially meaningful in the current state of our country and stressed the significance of honoring Black history and contributions.
“Now more than ever, it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate African American legacy and history,” Chen said. Furthermore, Chen felt that as an Asian American student participating in the performance was also a way to show her allyship towards the community, adding that, “Through dance, we can learn, celebrate and educate together.”
Navi Je Love, a BHS junior and BSU member, said it’s crucial to create spaces to collectively appreciate Black history. Je Love hopes that the assembly encourages students to be more engaged with and interact with cultures outside of their own.
BHS freshman Arielle Daniel sang “Almost There” from the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog.” The film’s protagonist, Princess Tiana, is the first Black princess in Disney, which inspired Daniel’s performance.
To Daniel, Black History Month is a time where she shows gratitude for her ancestors’ endurance and foundational achievements that put her, and other African Americans, in the positions they are in today.
“Black excellence and talent” is what Daniel intended to reflect in her performance, reiterating the need for BHS students to break stereotypes towards Black students.
BHS’ Million Dollar Dance Team (MDDT) showcased an energetic and modern routine, choreographing the piece a month in advance of the assembly. Dancers wore matching red, green, black, outfits, representing the colors of the Pan-African flag.
Lyric Hill, a BHS junior, member of MDDT, and co-chief of BSU, felt events like the assembly are important because Black people’s influence and innovations are not always fully acknowledged.
“It’s just nice to be appreciated and recognized for things that we do within the community,” Hill said.
“I wish that it was a lot longer,” Daniel said, pointing out that other cultural assemblies were hosted during multiple class periods while the Black History Month assembly was only held during one.
The assembly celebrated BHS students’ talent, provided exposure to new cultures, and was an opportunity for BHS students and staff to reflect on Black history while staying optimistic about the future. Ultimately, the organizers, performers, and speakers at the event aspired to reinforce the continued resilience and achievement of Black Americans.