In the center of a bare stage with no microphone or supporting actors stood Terence Archie of Brooklyn, N.Y., portraying Civil War-era abolitionist, publisher and politician Frederick Douglass.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Terence Archie of Brooklyn, N.Y., portrays abolitionist, publisher and politician Frederick Douglass during a presentation for sophomores and juniors at Howell High School on Feb. 5. Archie held the attention of about 600 Howell High School students with his oneman performance on Feb. 5. Archie was brought to Howell by Urban Stages for his second appearance. His performance kicked off the school’s celebration of Black History Month.
While on stage, Archie performed the many struggles Douglass encountered as a slave. He described how Douglass taught himself how to read and write, and talked about his escape from bondage.
Social studies supervisor Stan Koba said Archie “was brought here to share with the students the complexities of Frederick Douglass’ life as a slave. The way that Douglas (c.1817-1895) learned how to read and write through a benevolent master, how he broke out of slavery into freedom and became a successful abolitionist and later a United States minister to Haiti. This gives the kids a really good look. It’s like a window to the past. They are seeing an actual person who is describing the life of what Douglass went through.”
Terence Archie brought stories from the life of Frederick Douglass to the stage at Howell High School on Feb. 5. Black History Month is celebrated during February. Archie has been acting in New York for 10 years. He usually does one-man shows based on historical figures such as George Washington Carver,Matthew Henson and Douglass.
“I normally work in libraries and in classrooms, smaller school functions. Rarely do I actually perform in front of a big audience,” Archie said, adding that he portrays historical figures because the lessons that are taught by retelling their legacies are invaluable.
“I used to want to be a history teacher. It’s important to me to get some type of connection with the kids. Being in this business of acting, it is hard to find projects that really give something back to you. Something like this actually does appreciate in value because kids do learn something, and oftentimes you come to a school and they haven’t even learned about Frederick Douglass or black history. This is with minority schools and other schools as well,” Archie said.
“I feel like I’m really giving something back and I’m able to take them back in time and let them know that this is really where this country came from. This is why we are as much a part of this country as anybody else. This country was really built on these stories, the legacies of slaves.”
Lindsay Howell, 16, a junior, said she enjoyed the show.
“I think it’s interesting because this whole experience is something you can’t really read out of a book. It’s something where you’re watching him and you can actually experience what he is going through rather than just reading it and getting your own interpretation from it.”
Chris Liang, 16, a junior, said, “I enjoyed how he was extremely well practiced as he portrayed his character. You got the sense of emotion. You felt what he described. The connection between the audience and the character was established very well.”
Jessica Schmidt, 17, a junior, said the students were attentive to the performance.
“Everyone was actually paying attention in the auditorium. That does not always happen in the assemblies that are held. It was nice to see everybody focused, saying, ‘Wow, that really did happen,’ ” Jessica said. “We all forget about Black History Month all the time and how important it really is. And he just shows us about what people have been through during those times.”
Joe Cantaffa, the entertainment technology teacher in the school’s fine and performing arts program, said Archie “was a dynamic performer and I think it’s going to stick with the kids for a long time. Hopefully they’ll remember moments of that when they come to the crossroads later in life when they have the opportunity to be sensitive to other people’s experiences or not, and maybe they will remember Frederick Douglass here at Howell High School and choose the right path.
“It was great to see the students completely captivated by the presence of the gentleman portraying Frederick Douglass. He came in without the support of a microphone by his own choice, he came out and his presence held the room.
“And as a result, the students got to see what they perceived to be a firsthand account of an important time in our history. They were able to relate to him well, and therefore they could begin to empathize a little bit with what the struggles might have been, both educationally and also emotionally, which I think is good for their growing-up process,” Cantaffa said.