Skits teach kids about past racism

While some say the spirit of MLK Day was best felt listening to Dr. Cornel West or participating in a coffeehouse argument about the current status of racism in the United States, 12 children from area elementary and high schools would beg to differ.

On Saturday, the youths took part in an activity led by two members of Detroit StoryLiving, a group of adults who use music, stories and lots of audience participation to actively teach people from nine years old to corporate executives, about different events in history.

"It's learning by doing," said facilitator Randi Douglas. "'Stand up and do, not sit and be told' is the approach we take."

This time, the youth were transformed into students from Fisk University in 1960, participating in the lunch counter sit-in that became a crucial event.

"We didn't know what to expect," said Huron High School sophomore Nicole Chisolm. "But in the end it seemed like we were there."

Although the crew of children were initially reluctant about participating, the enthusiasm of Douglas and the her guitar-playing partner Josh White, Jr. eventually brought them into a comfortable atmosphere.

Using role-playing techniques, Douglas and White acted as Fisk University president and student, respectively. The children became incoming first-year students and were lead through traditions of the southern school.

The students thought that everything was just super, until they learned that they could not eat at the same lunch counter as their white counterparts.

A Simon-says-like exercise ensued, with the children locking-arms sitting at a false lunch counter.

The group was eventually hauled away to prison, where the participants had to call home to their parents and explain their situation.

The students were asked their opinions of what had happened. Douglas said the experience became more and more personal throughout, and by the end the students provided quite interesting responses.

"I think it's particularly important for the white students to walk in other people's shoes," Doulgas said. "It's kind of like weaving everyone's story into the program."

Two University students also sat in on the day's activity and admitted they learned a lot from the session.

"I don't think it was only the kids that learned," RC sophomore LeAnn Benkart said. "I will definitely go to more MLK events because of it."

01-20-98