As people trudged into Oak Hill Middle School Saturday, the sound of bass, drums and electric guitar emanating from the J.C. Hogan Auditorium sounded so strong that they might just blow the rain away.

The sound screaming from Carlos Toombs’ fingers as his hands raced up and down the neck of his sunburst stratocaster guitar did not welcome guests to a concert — they heralded the opening movements of a celebration.

Toombs’ staccato stylings opened the floor for the Oak Hill Middle School’s Black Excellence 2009 performance “Commemorating the Classics for the People of Color,” a 2 1/2 hour variety show celebrating the African-American experience in the United States through drama and song.

More than 65 Oak Hill Middle School students and members of various community groups shared the stage for a historical retrospective of African-American culture from big band leader Fletcher Henderson to Fantasia’s “I Believe.”

But not entertainment alone, “Commemorating the Classics” also presented a history of African-Americans’ contributions to western culture conveying the message: Black History is American History.

“Some of our children are visual learners, some of them are auditory learners,” said Claritha Wilson, who produced and directed Commemorating the Classics. “Whatever their needs, we need to be able to relate this history to them.”

Wilson said participating in programs like Commemorating the Classics keeps young students alert about the past and encourages them to go forward despite the challenges they might face in their life.

“People have struggled, but they kept on going, and that’s helped them stay on top,” she said.

Through learning the parts for the variety of spoken word sketches, musical performances and dance and step routines that made up “Commemorating the Classics,” Oak Hill students learned about the history of African-Americans in the United States and also those who have contributed to the Milledgeville-Baldwin County community.

Oak Hill parent volunteer Georgia Seabrook said the performance was very enlightening and helped to put into context many of the events that happened during her lifetime.

“From a historical perspective, it gave you facts and helped bring them into perspective,” she said. “I was born in 1953, and [Brown v. Board of Education] happened the next year; it’s hard to believe how good things are today, but we’ve got to keep going.”

Throughout Commemorating the Classics performers related historical events through the popular culture of that time, or those works of music and drama that were created as a result of the African-American experience in the United States.

The students recalled Africa in “Remembrance,” an African dance tribute to the music and dance of the African continent; they encouraged everyone to exercise their rights in the dramatic rendering of the poem “Voting Counts;” and they showed all what is possible through a photo montage of images from the election and inauguration of President Barack Obama to the music of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Going to Come.”

“This is a program that is full of joy,” Wilson said. “I’m thinking of all the grandparents that said ‘there is going to be a change, watch for the change.’”

Oak Hill Principal Dr. Linda Ramsey said the powerful performance “Commemorating the Classics” underscores the need to keep music and drama programming in the nation’s schools.

“It is what we need, and what I hope we continue to have as part of our school systems,” she said. “When cuts [to school funding] are made, the cuts come from music and drama. But this is what we need because our students are learning from [this type of programming].”