March 1, 2024
BY JOHN BAILEY
Imagine having the opportunity to have a conversation with John Lewis a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and an original member of the Freedom Riders in 1961.
What would it be like to meet Rosa Parks and hear her story about standing up to racial injustice and becoming one of the sparks to a key event in the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s, the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
What if you could meet, Ruby Bridges or Malcom X or Bass Reeves or Emmett Till’s mother Mamie Till.
These were exactly the opportunities visitors to the Black History Month Living Wax Museum at the Ridgeview Recreation Center in Hickory had on Feb. 24.
This was the 4th year of the event and was born out of the COVID pandemic and the need to find a way to engage students, according to Todder Clark, City of Hickory Parks and Recreation Facilities and Program supervisor.
It has become an inventive and interactive opportunity for children and the public to learn about Black History.
Clark has worked to make it a more local event as well. This year that included Septima P. Clark who lived in Ridgeview and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Shanna Clark, Catawba County United Way Director of Finance, said she enjoys learning about different cultures and their impact on our country’s history and was excited to attend the event.
“While it surprised me that it was live actors instead of just wax figures, it was more interactive and educational,” Clark said. “I learned about people who played a relevant role in Black History that I had not been educated on before.”
A highlight for her was “meeting” and learning about individuals like Fannie Lou Hamer.
“I didn’t know her story of teaching African Americans in Mississippi to read so they can register to vote, so that was fascinating,” Shanna Clark said.
For those who enjoyed meeting all these historical figures, Todder Clark said she looks forward to expanding the event and being even more creative in the future.
For more information, please contact Todder Clark at nclark@hickorync.gov or call 828-324-8007.
More Photos at THIS LINK.