Germantown student develops first Black History Month program for school

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. (WMC) - A Germantown High School senior made it his mission to celebrate Black History with a first-of-its-kind program at his school.

“One of the things the kids kept saying is are we going to do this again,” GHS Principal Marvin Townsend said. “I said yes this is the first of many to come in the future.”

Senior Reginald Shelby is responsible for a lasting legacy at GHS. He created the school’s first Black History Month Program on campus.

“I came from a different high school and when I transferred, I was expecting us to have a black history program,” Shelby said. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. So, I made it my mission to make a black history program.”

Shelby said he started planning last fall and the program went on all month long. It included dances, songs, skits and spirit days.

“We had people wear dashikis, had people dress as famous African Americans, wear HBCU apparel,” Shelby said.

Shelby said it took nearly 100 students for the program to go off without a hitch throughout the month. It’s a good foundation for more to come to Germantown High School.

“I am extremely proud and honored watching them take something that was their mission, their dream and made it unfold in a way that not only honors them, but also honors the school, honors the community and honors diversity,” Townsend said.

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