When it comes to emulating the achievements and legendary spirits of influential Black figures, from John Lewis and Fannie Lou Hamer to President Barack Obama and Chaka Khan, “Black in Wax” proves some of D.C.’s youth have it down to a science.
The Recreation Wish List Committee and Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (SETLC), partnered with D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to present the 19th production of “Blacks in Wax” on March 7 at THEARC in Southeast, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Northwest on March 15.
The annual production is a two-part homage to history and performance art, reviving the stories of African American history and leadership through the lens of Washington’s youth.
“It’s apropos that our young people learn about their history through the arts. It is one of the gifts of art that you can retell a story,” said DPR Director Thennie Freeman.
Presented by Events DC, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), and other sponsors, this year’s Black in Wax marked the theme “1965 Voting Rights Act…Then and Now?” to honor the 60th anniversary, and retell the story, of the landmark legislation that aimed to eliminate racial barriers in voting.
According to Dwayne Lawson-Brown, CAH community engagement specialist, programs such as Blacks in Wax offers a deeper learning experience beyond “textbooks and common curricula,” essentially leading to a deeper “sense of belonging” among local Black students.
“As someone who attended D.C Public and Public Charter Schools, I have reaped the benefit of educators and artists highlighting Black history,” Lawson-Brown said in a statement to The Informer. “Cultural histories, and particularly Black history in our region, is important for remembering the past, documenting our present, and informing future generations of all who call Washington, D.C. home.”
Blacks in Wax Comes to Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Over the course of the program, SETLC scholars ages 6 to 17 were on display donning old-school wigs and picture-perfect fashions of esteemed African Americans of the past and present, from sports and entertainment to politics and civic activism.
Influential figures like entertainment legend Tina Turner, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and renowned leaders of the Black Panther Party transformed from “wax-like” replicas to live portrayals at the touch of a button.
Meanwhile the performers of the vignette ensemble combined spiritual songs, choreography and impassioned monologues to highlight the connections of generations of trailblazers in Black history, particularly as it pertains to voting rights and civil freedoms propelled since the 1965 legislation.
Some of the portraits included: civil rights activist Ella Baker; former mayor of Detroit, Michigan, Coleman A. Young; and President Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law.
“I was nervous, but at the same time, I was holding in my smile,” said fifth-grader Salvatore Le Pera, who portrayed Young and performed in a dance ensemble. “It felt great because I don’t learn these things in school, and I really need to know about this stuff.”
Freeman pointed out that the beauty of the program, besides spot-on imitations, is the educational component that plants a seed from the first day. Throughout roughly four weeks of research, memorialization, and performance coaching, the show works to increase literacy and shape youth development in various sectors.
This year’s program in particular stood as a guiding light on introducing youth to the value of principles and protest, as “Blacks in Wax” ultimately decided to partner with D.C. Public Schools to move the annual tradition to Duke Ellington School of the Arts, despite serving at the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center since its fruition.
The bold move — while not explicitly said to be correlated — comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s abrupt seizure of the Kennedy Center last month.
As the pair introduced the vignette performance on March 15, CAH Chairman Reggie Van Lee and Cora Masters Barry — D.C.’s former first lady and founder of SETLC and the Recreation Wish List Committee — addressed the transition in respective statements.
“It was a very, very difficult decision,” Barry admitted, “but it was a decision that was based on principle, fairness and, quite frankly, protecting our children.”
Barry also lauded Duke Ellington as “the most beautiful high school in the whole world.”
Van Lee seconded this notion in his own words, stating when “the things that started occurring” at the Kennedy Center happened, it was clear to him “we needed to come home.”
“We needed to admire the theme[s] of voting and marching and acting, and we needed to vote with our feet and our spirits, and we’re here at Duke Ellington School,” Van Lee boasted.
The Arts as a Means to Shape the Future of Black History
From live performances portraying musical groups like The Temptations and The Supremes, to the amusing sights of a 6-year-old Malcolm X in a suit and tie with a dyed beard, “Blacks in Wax” exemplified the benefits of arts education and demonstrated the youth’s commitment to understanding the characters portrayed.
Attendees like native Washingtonian Sherri Moyé-Clegg said the performative art and attention to detail was a pleasant surprise.
“I am looking at our youth that are engaged, exhibiting our history and [continuing] to bring it into the future, but they are enjoying it as they do it,” Moyé-Clegg told The Informer. “It’s really a great surprise to see and a pleasure to be able to witness.”
Moyé-Clegg attended the finale performance with her great-nephew, in hopes to instill the very notion that “Blacks in Wax” aims to achieve yearly — the importance of African American representation beyond textbooks, stereotype depictions, and the rigors of mainstream media.
Particularly in an age where teaching Black history and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are under federal attack, initiatives like “Blacks in Wax” support youth in teaching American truths, while introducing them to a culture of perseverance and excellence.
“It exhibits the level of strength and the cloth from which they’re cut,” Moyé-Clegg explained. “They need to know where they’re coming from and structure to build up where they’re going.”
The vignette performance demonstrated these connections, most notably exemplifying the generational impact of Black women leaders that began with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Performers nodded to the courage and strength of sheroes like Hamer, Joyce Ladner, and others, whose resilience paved the way for later introduced women trailblazers, such as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, and voting-rights activist Melanie Campbell, who serves as president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
“These are women whose optimism [is] what America could be, and their fight to make that vision real redefine the leadership role that Black women can play in moving this nation forward,” said Tatum Primus in a powerful portrayal of Campbell.
Bowser, Alsobrooks, and Ladner were all in attendance on March 15, and even took photos with their mini-me’s following the vignette performance.
With anticipation to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, “Blacks in Wax” places its role as an essential guide to African American history for D.C. youth and future leaders. Just like Primus’ character said, it’s about preserving the leaders of the past in order to build the legacy for tomorrow.
“Let’s not disappoint these great women. Let’s not disappoint these great men,” said Primus as Campbell. “Let’s continue to fight for voting rights, humanity, justice and freedom.”