Eric Daniels, a teacher of social studies and world history at High School South, is organizing the Kwanzaa event at the school on Friday, December 10, at 6 p.m. Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration held in the United States honoring African heritage and culture, observed annually from December 26 to January 1. $10 includes dinner, screening of “A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School,” and a program.
Dinner, catered by Smitty’s Barbecue, includes chicken, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, corn bread, and greens. There will also be a talk about the principles of Kwanzaa and a candlelighting ceremony. “If I have an opportunity to teach something I will,” says Daniels, who has been teaching at South for 13 years.
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, he later played basketball at Trenton State College. “The only think I knew about New Jersey was the turnpike and couldn’t figure out how the state’s nickname was the Garden State.”
He worked at Citibank in script development for various programs. “I was probably responsible for the do not call list,” he says. “I wrote the quick phrases that were needed to be ready to respond to objections to the program.”
Daniels later returned to school to major in special education with a minor in psychology. “As a result of No Child Left Behind I am qualified to teach social studies,” he says. “I enjoyed taking history classes instead of basket weaving. It was something I enjoyed as opposed to an easy A.”
Daniel’s wife, Dina, works at Geico. Their two daughters are Serena, 10; and Taylor, 8.
The Bordentown school film is about the history of the school that taught values, discipline, and life skills to generations of black children for 70 years. The story is told by alumni, historians, and archival footage. The 400-acre Georgian style campus in Bordentown was a co-educational public school operated by the State of New Jersey, which closed the school in 1955 after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision.
The film was directed by Dave Davidson, produced by Davidson and Amber Edwards, and narrated by Ruby Dee. It premiered in May on PBS. The film is now available on DVD.
John Medley, Bordentown Class of 1954, leads a post screening discussion. “I love history, and it is special when you get an opportunity to talk to someone who can tell you so many different things,” says Daniels.
— Lynn Miller
Kwanzaa Festival, WW-P High Schools North and South, High School South, 346 Clarksville Road, West Windsor. Friday, December 10, 6 p.m. Dinner, screening of “A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School,” and a discussion with John Medley, Bordentown School, Class of 1954; followed by discussion of Kwanzaa and a candlelighting ceremony. $10. 609-716-5050. www.ww-p.org.
