Five Steps for Having a Successful Living Black History Wax Museum

Second-graders at Lenart Regional Gifted Center were busy in February. They learned about influential Black artists and closed out the month with a Living Black History Wax Museum. While their teacher, Ms. Korree Kiszkan, has held similar events in the past, this year was a little different being a wax museum. For the first time, students were “brought to life” with the press of a large button at their station. 

Each student researched a different Black hero and demonstrated all of their hard work in a few ways. They put together impressive display boards with everything they learned and also shared the key points in a monologue when their button was activated. Every participant did an amazing job! While they’re only in second grade, these students highlighted many ways to contribute to a successful museum. Other students tasked with a similar project can learn a lot from them by following the steps below! 

Step #1: Don’t be afraid to fully emulate your Black hero! 

When posing for a photo, Colin held his arm up just like Jair Lynch did on the Olympic podium! Colin loved learning about Jair’s impact on the sport of gymnastics, and he went the extra mile to portray him in the museum. He even wore a medal around his neck just like Jair. He shared that Jair inspired him because he likes gymnastics and wants to go to the Olympics himself! 

Step #2: Speak with confidence! 

Alara did an amazing job portraying Misty Copeland, the first Black woman to be promoted to a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Alara shared that she loves dancing and appreciated how Misty used dance as a method of creating art. From the moment she began speaking, it was clear that Alara was well-prepared to share her research with others. She seamlessly moved from Misty’s career to her personal life, and even shared some fun facts along the way!

Step #3: Get creative with your clothing! 

When you walked through Ms. Kiszkan’s classroom and the adjacent hallway, it was clear that students used their clothes as a way to transform into the individuals they were portraying. Serena Williams’ athleticism was captured through a tennis racquet and flowy skirt; Mansa Musa’s wealth was expressed through large gold necklaces and a gold crown; and everything else from Bob Marley’s dreadlocks to Guion Bluford Jr.’s astronaut suit was represented as well! 

Step #4: Use the expertise of people you know! 

Many of the Black heroes portrayed in this wax museum accomplished their key achievements long before these second-graders at Lenart were even born! Take Denzel Washington, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2002. Joshua shared that his mom and dad inspired him to choose Denzel because they thought he was the best actor of all time. That was made clear through his display board, which proclaims that Denzel is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)! 

Step #5: Have a lot of fun! 

Every student who participated in this Living Black History Wax Museum had an extremely positive experience. One student in particular was Chimamanda, who selected Ava DuVernay, a prominent Black director. Fun fact: Chimamanda had never heard of her before doing this project! However, she noted that learning about someone new made this project extremely fun. Her main takeaway was that Ava taught her that everyone can play a role in changing the world for the better!