Que Kidz Dayz Program Excites Local Youth with Visit to African American Civil War Museum

By Brother Ken Jones

Gamma Pi Brothers pose with students outside museum

On Saturday, November 15, the Brothers of Gamma Pi had the pleasure of hosting the Kids from Kentland at the African American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC.

It was a brisk morning and arriving at the museum was a site to see. From the big black gates that welcome you in at the entrance to the pictures that lead down the sidewalk to doors of the museum. You get the feel of history just walking into the museum. The kids were full of questions from the pictures they saw. The staff of the museum were grateful for the excitement from the students.

The staff showed a brief presentation, which introduced the museum and set the exploratory track for the day. After the presentation there was a scavenger hunt that the museum staff sent the students on. The students were sent out to find some very interesting answers hidden in the museums articles, videos, and exhibits. The excitement continued to build as the students began to find the answers to the questions given. 

All the chapter members and the youth

The Brothers of Gamma Pi served as group leaders while going through the museum with the students. Once the scavenger hunt was completed the museum staff read through the gathered answers to see what the groups had found. Every group did a good job and were very happy with their success.

As we took a break to eat lunch the students continued to ask the museum staff very good questions.  Once the mind is stimulated there is no telling where that will lead. It was once said that “the most precious thing you can give anyone is your time”, well if this field trip is any indication of that, this was time well spent

Who knows, we may get our next great historian out of the kids went spent time with today. We must continue to spend time with as many students as we can, after all, they are our leaders of tomorrow.

As we left the museum and headed to the statue of African American Soldiers, across the street from the museum it was evident that the museum had excited the students to find out more about the Civil War period and know that there were African American soldiers that helped win the war for the Union. Finding out the truth about the Civil War really felt good, since most classrooms of the past only taught us from another point of view. The students were glad to hear that their ancestors fought for their freedom as well. May God bless the students and the Brothers that continue to lead them.

Photos below from Brothers Kevin Greenwood and Chris Edwards
More photos available here)

Bro. Tony Kelly shows artifacts to kids 

Museum entrance

Youth listening attentively