STA News
STA Celebrates Black History Month
St. Albans kicked off its celebration of Black History Month at the first Upper School assembly of the month, organized by students in the Black Affinity Group. The presentation explored various aspects of Black culture, history, and experiences. Student leaders asked the room trivia questions while sharing facts about traditional African and Caribbean foods and traditions, famous Black entertainers and entrepreneurs, and Civil Rights trailblazers in American and St. Albans history. Throughout the presentation, students came to the podium to share their personal experiences relating to these topics.
Paulos Preston ‘26 described his experience growing up with African American and Ethiopian heritage, and how he navigates these different cultural experiences. Justin Damas ‘28 spoke about his family’s Haitian traditions surrounding food, and Josh Allen ‘26 highlighted the successes of different Black entertainers from past and present.
Logan Cunningham ‘28 compared his St. Albans experience to that of his father, Tshaka Cunningham ‘92, and the ways in which they both found a sense of community. Edward Samuel ‘26 spoke about the cultural significance of Black hairstyles, and his experience deciding how to grow and style his hair. Devin Boakye ‘27 described traveling to Ghana with his family and the impact of seeing the ways his father continues to give back to his community. “My heritage isn't something I remember,” Boakye said. “It’s something I live every day,” Boakye said.
To conclude the assembly, the student group invited coach and staff member Cornelius Green to share his personal story of overcoming prejudice and adversity. “August 28, 1963, changed my life,” Green recalled. That's when Green, at age nine, heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. King’s words resonated with Green as he progressed through his young adult life, specifically when he experienced racism, prejudice, and received death threats when he became the first Black quarterback at Ohio State University.
Green, who won multiple Big Ten titles, Rose Bowls, and various individual accolades, reflected on his career and impact, and how he was able to overcome such adversity. The support from his mom, coaches, teammates, and religious faith allowed him to persevere, Green said. Green concluded with a remark about leadership, “What it is to be is up to me.”
Thank you to the STA Black Affinity Group, faculty and staff advisors, and speakers who made this Black History Month assembly a huge success.
Located in Washington D.C., St. Albans School is a private, all boys day and boarding school. For more than a century, St. Albans has offered a distinctive educational experience for young men in grades 4 through 12. While our students reach exceptional academic goals and exhibit first-rate athletic and artistic achievements, as an Episcopal school we place equal emphasis upon moral and spiritual education.