Mr. Henderson loomed over our sixth-grade classroom, an imposing figure reminiscent of the great Georgetown basketball coach, John Thompson. Our classroom odyssey charted the customary courses of sixth-grade social studies: the sprawling maps of world geography and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. Yet, there was an intriguing twist to this academic endeavor: a chance to earn extra credit by reading the stories housed in a crate stationed in the back of the classroom. Known as the "black history" bin, this crate held within its embrace a collection of folders for those curious enough to explore its contents. I seized this opportunity to bolster my grade.