This February, to celebrate Black History Month, we are bringing back our Black History exhibit at the Mai Art Museum (in the Marketplace section of the Student District)! The art museum has been fully decorated with 50 art installations, each honoring a history-making Black figure from around the world. We've included familiar names like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges alongside names that are likely less familiar (or completely new) to students. For example, Nubia's Queen Amanitore, Claudette Colvin, Jerry Lawson, and Vivien Thomas all have their own installation. We've included inventors, doctors, military leaders, civil rights activists, artists, and even a samurai! Each piece in the museum can be clicked on, which will bring up a brief blurb educating students about the person in the picture.

On the second floor of the Art Museum, we even have some fantastic sculptures available for viewing.

But that's not all! We've also dressed up some familiar historical figures in Black History Month-inspired costumes. See if you can find them, and say hello! They'll be pleased to tell you a little bit about their historical figure's life history.

We're committed to promoting social justice through the content we create for Tyto Online, and our Black History Month update is one way that we're addressing that goal. For a bit more information on our philosophy, visit our resource page on culturally relevant teaching.

BHM Contest - Deadline 2/28/23

We turned the art pieces into beautiful poster sets featuring these history-making Black figures, and we're running a contest to win a set of 10 posters for your school or classroom. We will have a drawing at the end of the competition and 5 educators will win! 

So, what do you have to do?

We're tasking your students with finding our five in-game characters that are dressed up as historical figures. They'll talk with them in the game and document the name of the historical figure, and something they learned from the conversation.

1. Print out the Contest Instruction Poster (you only need to submit one copy to enter, but feel free to print extra copies for students to record information as they learn from the characters)
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2. Let students search for the 5 characters in the game and write down something they learn. (Do this independently, with partners, or as a small group!)
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3. As a class, come together to discuss the 5 characters. Fill out your final copy of your submission form collaboratively.
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4. Text or e-mail the image of the completed poster to l.bowers@tytoonline.com or (716) 333-7515. Include your name and district! 
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5. All set! After the deadline, we will draw 5 names and send 10 posters to your school address.
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Option 2: Submit your response digitally using this Google Form.