Many students of color first encounter Black History through their school’s allotted month of slavery and civil rights factoids.
But not six-year old Jack Streat!
This brilliant young man has all the ammunition he will ever need to educate any of his teachers about just how expansive Black history really is. Principal weapon at his disposal is his doting father, Geoff Streat.
This former dj, self-proclaimed culture enthusiast, and educational advocate uses his Instagram as a tool to inspire other parents to take that quality time with their kids at night promoting the gift of reading. Whether it is the influence of that Golden Age of Hip-Hop that molds his parenting, his Morehouse education or membership in Omega Psi Phi, Streat publicly shows the world that reading books is cool, whenever he works with his son.
According to the non-profit Reach Out and Read, reading with your children at night positively affects their future. It engages them, promotes language development, early literacy skills and most importantly a curiosity about the world around them.
Streat, whose life’s work is dedicated to promoting and managing educational opportunities that promise to remove barriers to minorities and students from low-income households, knows full well how important this is with his young son, Jack. And while Jack is probably reading on a 3rd or 4th grade level (and that should be enough to give Streat dad of the year), his dad pushed the envelop this February by including Black history flash cards in his nightly video posts.
Check out young Jack as he drops knowledge on some of the words greatest leaders, academicians and entertainers.
Kwame Nkrumah, Former President of Ghana
Billie Holiday, Legendary Jazz Vocalist
Malcolm X, Civil Rights Leader
Assata Shakur, Revolutionary Member of The Black Panther Party (BPP) and The Black Liberation Army (BLA)
George Washington Carver, Scientist and Inventor
Granville T. Woods, Inventor with over 50 patents and First Mechanical and Electrical Engineer after the Civil War
Mary Jackson, Mathematician and Aerospace Engineer
In addition to exposing his son to great characters in history, Pop took care to practice gender equity, by introducing young Jack to great women that have made their mark in time. Added bonus: Kiddo is no nerd… like his Que dad, he got swag and his rooted in Hip-Hop culture.
