Swampscott Middle School has a new piece of art created by students in honor of Black History Month.
High school students from the Students of Color Association (SOCA), along with middle schoolers in SOCA Jr., collaborated with artist Sheila Billings to design a mural on the first floor near the library and the stairwell leading to other classrooms. Metropolitan Council for Education Opportunity (METCO) co-director Temi Bailey said the mural reflects Black History Month, the importance of freedom of speech and the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
“Being in the spot I am now and working with kids, I think we really see how they generally just want to be involved,” Bailey said. “They were happy to do something together. They’re happy to work with kids in different grades. It was just about being here and being with a trusted advisor.”
The mural centers around a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote. It reads, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Below the quote, students added the phrase, “Use your freedom of speech to spread light everywhere.”
“Ms. Billings sat with the kids and discussed with them what are different ways you can bring light to the world,” Bailey said.
While brainstorming with Billings about what represents “light,” students chose candles, Bailey said. Each student created a candle featuring a word that represents what freedom of speech means to them, such as truth, wisdom, dialogue, friendship, kindness, humor, courtesy, knowledge, inspiration, integrity, love or connection.
The students all signed their names below their candles as well.
This is the third iteration of a project for Black History Month. Last year, the group made quilt patches to represent themselves. After the pieces were sewn together, the quilt was paraded around town and displayed at the library, Town Hall, the Senior Center and all of the schools.
Two years ago, students created a documentary exploring the experiences of Black Americans from the era of Martin Luther King Jr. through the killing of George Floyd. There were interviews, discussions among each other as well as conversations with people such as Ralph Edwards, a co-founder of Swampscott Unites, Respects Embraces (S.U.R.E.) Diversity.
A video of the mural process, filmed by Bailey, will be shown at the rescheduled Black History Celebration next week following the snow cancellation.
