Darryl Sharpton joined 30 students from the Houston Texans YMCA for a tour of the African American Library at the Gregory School Tuesday. The tour capped of Black History Month and was a chance for the inside linebacker and the youngsters to get perspective on the African American community in Houston.
The African American Library at the Gregory School is housed in the Edgar M. Gregory School, the first public school for African Americans in Houston. It now serves as a resource to preserve and celebrate black culture.
"It feels good to come out here and just see the kids get excited and give them something to look forward to, " Sharpton said. "I'm sure I'm gonna learn something inside of this museum, too."
The tour included lunch at the historical Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, which was constructed in 1866 and is located in downtown Houston.
"It's very important to me just because it's important to know where you came from, know your roots, have some sort of understanding of your past and your history," Sharpton said of Black History Month. "It enriches your life better, makes you more knowledgeable and informed."
Sharpton said spending quality time with the Houston youth is what he enjoys most.
"My favorite part is just seeing kids happy, seeing them getting inspired, asking me questions about what I did to do this and knowing that I can make an impact on someone's life, and having them look up to me to be in that position.
"I just tell them the truth. I tell them stay focused, stay hard, don't let anybody tell you you're too short or too small or it's not a good idea. If you feel passionate about it, just work hard and you can realize all your dreams."
