Sojourner Truth portrayed in Garrett

SOJOURNER TRUTH VISITS WITH 8TH GRADERS

Alice McGill, a portrayer of the famed Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century freed slave who fought for emancipation, presented the culminating event in a study series for a number of Garrett County eighth graders last week. Students in the classes of Elizabeth Gilbert's class at Swan Meadow, Sharon Settle's classes at Northern Middle School, and Gary Thompson's classes at Southern Middle School all read the novel Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman? written by Patricia and Frederick McKissack.

The project was in celebration of Black and Women's history months. A book discussion via the distance learning labs at Northern and Southern high schools and Garrett and Allegany colleges was moderated by Dr. Virginia Broaddus, director of arts and sciences at GC.

The monologue workshop at Our Town Theatre featuring McGill was led by Jane Avery, OTT's artistic director. After her monologue about the life of Sojourner Truth, McGill, who is also a children's book author, led a question and answer session with the students. The teachers extended their thanks to all who helped in making the event possible, including Avery, Broaddus, McGill, the Garrett County Board of Education, GC, Dr. Nancy Priselac, Donald Manekin, and the Foundation for Education in Rural Maryland.