ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County's first public high school for African Americans is celebrating a milestone.
- Jones High School is Orange Co. 1st public high school
- Celebrating 125th anniversary, black history for entire week
- MORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH:
Jones High School students and staff showcased their talents Monday night to mark the school's 125th anniversary and Black History Month.
Students performed slam poetry from black poets, while some showed off their own original work.
Jones High tenth-grader Treasure Moore performed a piece about police brutality against black people.
“How long will it take… this pain! This pain it still remains!” she recited.
Ninth-grade student Liline Jeannot performed an original piece she called “Black.”
“This color will not be forsaken… my black skin!” she spoke.
Art teachers also led an art class where students and community members got to recreate a well-known painting from the “Great Migration” series by black artist Jacob Lawrence.
It’s all to honor black art and culture at the start of Black History Month.
“Specifically the Harlem renaissance and the black arts movement,” said African American History teacher at Jones Donique Rolle.
She says a ceremony like this is especially meaningful at Jones High School.
“It was the first African American high school in Orange County, and we have such great pride and tradition,” Rolle said.
But for these students, it’s not just about the past. They want to carry the legacy of the past to future generations.
“(It’s an) awesome feeling, you know? I’m connecting with it. I’m doing something to support the black community,” Jeannot said.
Jones High School was first established at their current location back in 1895.
They’ll be celebrating the big anniversary all week long.