Features: Showcase brings little-known history to life

BEFORE PHILADELPHIA native Everett Staten went off to college, American history was his least favorite class.

"History was my worst subject in school," Staten said. "American history was basically politics and military, and the only thing it included about African-Americans was being slaves."

Years later, determined to publicize the untold accounts of African-American history, Staten founded the Black History Showcase, a free event featuring a variety of privately owned exhibits and activities composed of real people, objects and stories, with the intention to boost African-American pride and encourage tolerance between races.

"I didn't know a black man invented the pencil sharpener," Staten said. "People should be getting taught this in grade school."

The showcase, which began in 2004 as a four-weekend event at the Independence Visitor Center, opens tomorrow at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for two days.

This year's exhibits include "Not Just a Hoe," a collection of slave-made furnishings; "Lest We Forget," an exhibition of slavery artifacts; and "Ground Breakers: Sports Heroes and Sheroes," a display of unrecognized black athletes.

"It's almost like a variety pack of different things that people can see," Staten said. "And having moved to a larger facility we have a distinguished speaker and a concert done by the Freedom Choir of Philadelphia."

The concert is at 3 p.m. Sunday. The speaker is Temple scholar and professor Molefi Asante. Hear him at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

The event will also include exhibits honoring real-life "living legends," such as the Philadelphia Stars Negro League baseball players, the Buffalo Soldiers and the Tuskegee Airmen.

"They're the stars because of the contributions they made to this country under the conditions they had to do it," Staten said. "You get a chance to actually hear them tell their stories - you're not getting it from some historian." They'll be signing autographs, too.

Staten predicted that 5,000 to 6,000 people will attend each day.

"We all know about Dr. King," Staten said. "It's time for us to learn about a lot of folks who made a big difference but that aren't household names."