Africana Studies Brings Girls Poetry, Music, Food
UT’s Department of Africana Studies has collaborated with Girls Inc. to create Black History Month activities for elementary students in East Tennessee.
During February, elementary school girls across three counties are exploring poems, jazz, and Southern foods with support from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Professor Natalie Graham, interim head of the Department of Africana Studies, worked to develop the curriculum with Girls Inc. of the Tennessee Valley, a nonprofit that inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold. She also will deliver some of the lessons.
Girls Inc. Outreach Manager Katie Wade (’21) is both a UT alumna and graduate student working on her master’s degree in therapeutic recreation. She knew the modern land-grant university has a wealth of resources for Tennessee communities, and she reached out as she began looking for partners on monthly themes.
During Black History Month at the Girls Inc. center in Anderson County and at 10 after-school programs in Knox and Blount counties, one session each week will focus on the types of topics students explore in depth at the university. Graham was able to combine knowledge from courses she teaches and her background as a former director of a Boys and Girls Club in Florida to make lessons informative and engaging for children.
While Girls Inc. focuses on schools that serve a high concentration of economically disadvantaged families, Wade noted that the students in the program come from economically and racially diverse backgrounds. “I wanted to highlight Black History Month and highlight different artists and authors, but also make sure that every girl felt included,” she explained.
Engaging Lessons
For the first session on poetry the girls learn the Langston Hughes poem “My People,” and how to deliver it with American Sign Language. “It talks about how beautiful and how lovely my people are,” said Graham, who is also a poet.
The girls also have an opportunity to reflect on what the poem’s title means to them. “We really wanted each girl to be able to feel what her story was, and understand who her people were,” Wade said.
When they listen to Louis Armstrong sing “What a Wonderful World” and Nina Simone sing “Feeling Good” during a lesson on music, the girls will move to different corners of the room based on how the music makes them feel. “They’ll talk about how music influences their emotions,” said Graham, who teaches an online Black Music Culture course.
Finally, they will learn about the history of black-eyed peas, okra, and yams. “Food travels with people as people travel,” said Graham, who will be teaching a new UT course on Southern food culture starting in fall 2026.
“We’re going to bring the food, so they can smell it, taste it, touch it, and see what it looks like,” said Wade, noting that the lesson focuses on nutrient-rich foods.
Connected to Community
The Department of Africana Studies is committed to connecting with the community on campus and off in multiple ways.
Students in Graham’s poetry class will have opportunities to write poems based on meeting ceramic artists showcasing work at the UT Downtown Gallery and viewing the play The Royale at the new Jenny Boyd Theatre. The Southern food culture class will grow and harvest produce at Beardsley Community Farm.
Graham sees the partnership with Girls Inc. as part of that commitment, as well as serving the community in which she lives. “I want to be part of developing an ecosystem where folks understand that UT is a place for them. It’s a place where they will find resources and connections,” she said.
She also understands the value of programs such as Girls Inc. to nurturing young students. “I know that you can’t do it all in the classroom,” she said. “You really need community support after school and over the summer for kids to really thrive.”
The collaboration may help students see themselves as future Volunteers too, and in some cases become the first in their families to attend college.
by Amy Beth Miller