- November 5, 2024
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The First AME Church of Palm Coast Youth Choir sings during the program. Photo courtesy of Patricia Bottoms
Donald Bryant wears the dashiki he wore during the 15th-annual Youth Black History Reality Program as the master of ceremonies. Photo by Paige Wilson
Youth Black History Reality Program founder and Committee Chairwoman Jeanette Wheeler dons traditional garments representing the African culture after students crowned her during the program.Courtesy photo
The crowd at the African American Cultural Society gets ready to bow their heads for the benediction. Photo courtesy of Patricia Bottoms
Donald Bryant is the master of ceremonies. Photo courtesy of Patricia Bottoms
The First AME Church of Palm Coast Youth Choir sings during the program. Photo courtesy of Patricia Bottoms
As a 17-year-old senior at Matanzas High School, Donald Bryant is setting his sights on the University of Central Florida soon. But he owes a lot of the young man he’s become to the local Youth Black History Reality Program.
Through the African American Cultural Society, the 15th-annual Youth Black History Reality Program gave about 30 Flagler County kids the opportunity to learn about African American figures and then depict their designated person in a lively presentation held on Sunday, Feb. 18.
“This made me really appreciate black history. I want to start my own business one day and be a black entrepreneur.”
- DONALD BRYANT, program participant
“When I was younger, I used to have speech issues,” Bryant said. “I couldn’t really talk in front of a lot of people. But doing this program, it made me be able to talk to people on a stage. It’s made me more social and given me more knowledge about all these people. I’m really grateful to be in this program.”
After participating in the program for about eight years, Bryant has come full circle in regard to public speaking. As this year’s Master of Ceremonies, he gave the benediction and announced the students before their presentations.
“I use this knowledge to tell other people about what I’ve done in the program and about the other black history role models, and just to appreciate the month — the shortest month of the year,” he said.
Fifteen years ago, Palm Coast resident Jeanette Wheeler created this program to inspire local youth to learn about African American history and to get active in the community. At this year’s event, the students crowned Wheeler and “gave her the respect she deserved,” Bryant said.
“I am very thankful for that, because without her, none of this would be possible,” he added.
Three years ago, Bryant got to don boxing gloves and a robe to depict his favorite boxer, Muhammad Ali. Last year, he researched and portrayed Grambling State University’s former head football coach Eddie Robinson, who had more than 200 of his players go on to play in the NFL, according to the Robinson Museum.
“This made me really appreciate black history,” he said. “I want to start my own business one day and be a black entrepreneur.”
Each year since 2010, the AACS presents scholarships to students involved in the Youth Black History Reality Program to help them further their education. The scholarship recipients will be announced in April, and there will be a scholarship ceremony in June at the AACS to celebrate.
“Mrs. Jeanette, even outside of the program, would always check up on me, wonder what I’m doing and set me up with scholarship opportunities,” Bryant said. “She’s been my mentor.”
Bryant said he hopes to visit Palm Coast to mentor others in the program on breaks from UCF.
“I love being at the event every year, and it would be my honor to keep helping out,” he said.
