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Students at Tommie Barfield Elementary School were treated to an entertaining history lesson by guest speaker Ollie Phipps on Monday.

Phipps presented to students a black history slideshow filled with both insightful jokes and harsh realities about slavery and the civil rights movement in America.

Phipps, who is the principal at Estates Elementary School in Naples, encouraged students to educate themselves in order to promote equality.

“You are the future that will continue this change,” said Phipps to the students at the end of his presentation.

Phipps was invited to speak at the school as part of black history month.

Ollie Phipps gives his lively presentation on black history.

Phipps fused humor into an otherwise serious discussion about the journey toward equality for blacks in America.

Ollie Phipps explained the important role Jackie Robinson played in helping African Americans achieve civil rights. Phipps said that Robinson’s educational background had as much to do with his success as his athletic talent. “Knowledge is power” was a phrase that Phipps repeated throughout his lecture.

Third-graders Bradley Chute and Kyle Ginther enjoy a quip from Ollie Phipps. It wasn’t just the students that were entertained; many of Phipps’ jokes had the teacher chuckling as well.