What if?
Cast: Narrator, Theo, mom
Nonspeaking roles: Marian Croak, George Sampson, Sarah Boone, Mansfield ISD
Integration, Misty Copeland, John Love, William Purvis, Gladys West, Richard
Spikes, Joseph Gammel, Garrett Morgan, John Lewis/Martin Luther King,
Jr/HoseaWilliams, Barack and Michelle Obama, Alicia Garza/Patrisse Cullors/
Opal Tomei, John Standard, Elbert Robinson, Marsai Martin, Hattie McDaniel,
Ella Fitzgerald, Belcalis Almanzar, Lewis Lattimer
Song: Rise Up- Andra Day
Narrator: This is a story of a little boy name Theo who woke up one morning and asked his mother
Theo: Mom, why do we have to learn about Black History in February?
Narrator: Well his mother thought about that for a moment, and then said
Mom: Son, we celebrate Black History Month in February, but we learn about Black History all year around.
Why don’t you follow me around today and lets just see what it would be like if there were no Black people in
the world.
Narrator: He agreed, but asked his mom to hold on for a second so that he could call his buddy, Sam, and see
what he was wearing to school. He quickly realized that he had no service because Marian Croak, a black
woman, invented VOIP, which allows calls, texts, and video to be sent over mobile data or Wi-Fi. Mom said,
Mom: Now go get dressed and we will get started.
Narrator: Theo ran to his room to put on his clothes and shoes. However, found his outfit still wet from the
washing machine. You see, George T. Sampson, a black man, invented the clothes dryer. His mother took one
look at him and said
Mom: Theo, where are your shoes, and those clothes are all wrinkled son, I must iron them.
Narrator: But when she reached for the ironing board, it was no longer there. You see Sarah Boone, a black
woman, invented the ironing board.
Mom: Oh well, please go and do something to your hair.
Narrator: Theo ran in his room to brush his hair, but the brush was gone. You see Lydia O. Newman, a black
female, invented the brush.
Narrator: Well this was a sight, no shoes, wrinkled clothes, hair a mess, even Moms hair, without the hair care
inventions of Madam C.J. Walker, well you get the picture.
Narrator: Theo was getting ready to head out to school, but mom told him that he’d have to go to a different
school which was a long walk away because the 5 African American high school students that helped integrate
Mansfield ISD and the rest of the North Central Texas area (after being unsuccessful until 1965) never enrolled.
Narrator: Theo expected to see his younger sister twirling around the kitchen in her tutu as usual, however,
without being inspired by Misty Copeland, the first African American dancer in the American Ballet Theater,
she just followed mom around sadly, Theo noticed as he headed out the door.
Narrator: Later on, after school, Mom asked Theo to go get a pencil and some paper to prepare their list for the
market. So Theo ran for the paper and pencil but noticed the pencil lead was broken. Well he was out of luck
because John Love, a black man, invented the pencil sharpener. Mom reached for a pen, but almost knocked
over a pot of ink, William Purvis, a black man, patented many improvements of the fountain pen.
Narrator: Theo and his mother decided to head out to the market. Mom decided to try a new grocery store
across town, she didn’t know the way, but tried to put the address into the GPS, but with no luck you see, had It
not been for the mathematical contributions of Gladys West, one of the Hidden Figures, this technology was
unavailable.
Narrator: They made their way over to the car and found that it just wouldn’t go. You see, Richard Spikes, a
black man, invented the automatic gear shift and Joseph Gammel invented the supercharge system for internal
combustion engines. They noticed that the few cars that were moving were running into each other and having
wrecks because there were no traffic signals. You see, Garrett A. Morgan, a black man invented the automated
traffic light.
Narrator: As a matter of fact, mom and Theo felt much more unsafe altogether as MLK, John Lewis, Hosea
Williams, and many others had not protested on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama to help bring
about the voting right act, allowing all races to make their voices heard and vote individuals into office and laws
into effect that would help them be safe and protected by the law.
Narrator: The idea of having a black president and first lady, like Barack and Michelle Obama was not even a
consideration. Also, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tomei never created the organization
#blacklivesmatter, an organization that helps people of color build local power and intervenes in violence
inflicted on the black community.
Narrator: Well, it was getting late, so they walked to the local market, got their groceries and returned home.
Just when they were about to put away the milk, eggs and butter, they noticed the refrigerator was gone. You
see John Standard, a black man, invented the refrigerator. So they just left the food on the counter.
Narrator: It was almost time for Theo’s father to arrive home. He takes the bus. But there was no bus, because
it’s precursor was the electric trolley, invented by another black man, Elbert R. Robinson.
Narrator: As he waited for his dad get home, he thought about his big dreams and plans, starting with the script
he had written for the movie he wanted to make. Usually he could see it so clearly, both he and his leading
actress receiving the highest award in film, an Oscar. Tonight, however, since Marsai Martin, a 14 year old
black teen, who is the youngest person ever to become executive producer of a major film, nor Hattie
McDaniel, the first African American to win an Oscar didn’t exist, his dream too seemed unattainable.
Narrator: As a matter of fact, even though he could hear his older sister upstairs practicing her raps, he felt a
sense of defeat knowing that she could never win the music industry’s highest honor, a Grammy, because Ella
Fitzgerald (the first black person to win a Grammy) and Belcalize Almnzar, also known as Cardi B, was not
around to be the first female solo act to win aa Grammy for best rap album.
Narrator: Theo and his mother sat at the kitchen table with their heads in their hands. When the father arrived,
he asked
Father: Why are you sitting in the dark?
Mom: Why? Because Lewis Howard Latimer, a black man, invented the filament within the light bulb.
Narrator: Dad just stared at them both in confusion.
Theo: Wow, without black people the world sure would feel a lot different. I’m so glad I got to learn about all
of these amazing inventors, entertainers, and activists that are black, just like me! When I grow up, there’s no
telling what I can do!
Narrator: As the day drew to a close, Theo and his family discussed all that was missing from their day. They
all agreed that to live their best lives, it takes the contributions of people of all races to make the world great!
Song: Wake Up Everybody by John Legend