Students deliver spoken word performances in honor of Black History Month

Every February, across the country, we celebrate Black History Month. This year, Robbinsdale Area Schools is honoring the month-long celebration by bringing to our community a series of videos showcasing students performing in culturally relevant ways.

Students from Plymouth Middle School and Armstrong and Cooper high schools took time this month to deliver a number of spoken word performances. 

Spoken word is poetry intended for a verbal performance and rooted in oral interpretations of self written or recited poetry, and can be accompanied by drums, music, dance, sounds as part of the performance. In addition, spoken word often includes elements of hip hop, storytelling, rapping, jazz, theater, folk, jazz, rock and roll, and blues. 

Spoken word poetry is important to Black History Month because performances often have a social advocacy focus, and are a form of self expression that often is found in the Black culture. For example, poetry slams are a part of spoken word, and some even consider spoken word as a verbal weapon against social injustice and other forms of oppression.

Thank you for watching, and enjoy.