Dr. Marian Rogers Croak was portrayed by Liberty Sellers
Javonta McCall explained the early life of Malcom X
Looking to major in Sports Medicine, Kailyn Buchanon felt a connection to her chosen subject, Rebecca Lee Crumpler, who was the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States.
Zahria Nivens portrayed Mae Jemison, the first black African American woman astronaut in space.
WADESBORO — The Anson Youth Leaders Academy returned to the SPCC Lockhart-Taylor Center this year to present “Blacks in Wax: An Exhibit of African-Americans Who Shaped History.” The annual display took place from 3:00 – 5:00 p. m. Sunday and was free to the public.
Many notable Black men and women throughout history were represented during the exhibit. While some were lesser known than others, all had an interesting story to tell.
Javonta McCall explained the early life of Malcolm X, while Jaiden Ishamanla covered the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
An example of a lesser known story can be found in the life of Dr. Marian Rogers Croak, as exhibited by Liberty Sellers. Croak is an American engineer who is best known for her voice over IP inventions and worked for three decades at Bell Labs and AT&T.
Laila Hammond played the part of Sarah Rector, an American oil magnate since childhood. Striking it rich, as the saying goes, Rector soon became known as the “Richest Black girl in America.”
“She was free and she took advantage of that. I’m proud she did not let the business go to waste,” says Hammond.
Zaylen Nivens informed exhibit attendees all about George Washington Carver’s contributions to agriculture. Nivens says he is impressed by how Carver was able to develop over 300 products from soybeans, sweet potatoes and pecans.
Looking to major in Sports Medicine, Kailyn Buchanon felt a connection to her chosen subject, Rebecca Lee Crumpler, who was the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the United States.
A ninth grader, Deveonne Cox was asked back to perform in the Black in Wax experience this year. Cox portrayed Bill Russell, an American NBA player and coach. He said he really enjoyed watching highlights from Russell’s former games.
Zahria Nivens portrayed Mae Jemison, the first Black woman astronaut in space. Jemison was aboard the 1992 flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Nivens says she was impressed how Jemison transitioned into an actress, starring in TV shows and movies such as “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Lightyear,” and “Mars.”