Elexis Selmon with The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati portrays Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman before an audience of Belpre Middle School seventh- and eighth-graders at the school in February. (Photo provided)

PARKERSBURG — Area middle school students participated in a historic retelling of America’s 200-year struggle with slavery in recognition of Black History Month in February.

Elexis Selmon of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati portrayed heroic Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman in a program sponsored by Artsbridge.

Tubman, nicknamed Moses, gained her own freedom and traveled back and forth from North to South, making the 92-mile one-way journey 19 times and freeing more than 300 slaves.

According to a release from Artsbridge, students learned about how the Underground Railroad worked, fugitive slave laws and the importance of field songs as a way of navigating the horrors of slavery.

These songs were often encrypted messages: Field hollers and work songs were used to communicate useful information or vent feelings.

Elexis Selmon with The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati portrays Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman at Pleasants County Middle School in February. (Photo provided)

These songs often contained Bible stories and uplifting messages.

They were sung during laborious tasks in the fields to encourage and support fellow slaves.

Middle schoolers witnessed Tubman’s character, bravery and perseverance while Selmon reminded and encouraged them that “every great dreamer begins with a dream,” the release said.

Artsbridge programs are made possible through funding provided by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History; Ohio Arts Council; National Endowment for the Arts; the McDonough Foundation; Fenton Foundation; West Virginia Central Federal Credit Union, City of Vienna, City of Parkersburg and by contributors to the Artsbridge Fall Fund Drive, GiveLocalMOV and donations made throughout the year.

Elexis Selmon with The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati portrays Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman before an audience of seventh- and eighth-graders at Waterford Elementary School in February. (Photo provided)