Eighth graders at North Buncombe Middle School are stitching together history, one hexagon at a time.
In Chris Brown’s social studies classroom, students researched a diverse range of historical and contemporary black figures, from civil rights pioneers to modern-day icons in music, sports, science, and technology. Each student created a hexagon panel featuring artwork and key contributions from their assigned figure. When assembled, the 91 panels form a massive classroom “quilt” representing a wide spectrum of legacy and impact.
“There’s people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King who are well known, but there are also people who didn’t make it into the history books,” Brown said. “And there are people today who are known for their careers- music, sports, technology- but we don’t always celebrate the behind-the-scenes contributions they’re making to change lives.”
The project intentionally highlighted lesser-known changemakers who shaped the Civil Rights Movement. One student, Hazel, researched Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her bus seat months before Rosa Parks and helped spark the idea for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She was just 14 years old.
“I thought it was really brave for her,” Hazel said. “Kids our age don’t usually do stuff like that if they’re going to get arrested for it.”
Brown said the goal is to move beyond familiar names and help students understand that impact comes in many forms, from activism to athletics to philanthropy.
“It teaches us about people we maybe didn’t know and why we’re allowed to have what we have today,” Hazel said.
