From Harlem to Dakar to St. Louis: The WikiExplorers go to the St Louis Jazz Festival

WikiExplorers go to Senegal, a children’s story for ages 10–12, to learn about their shared history in music. 

From Harlem to Dakar to St. Louis: The WikiExplorers Travel to Senegal 

Ten WikiExplorers sat in a circle on the classroom floor in Harlem, laptops open, backpacks half-zipped, and ready to fly across the Atlantic Ocean to Dakar, Senegal. 

“Dakar is right here,” said Amina, pointing at the map on her screen.

“And St. Louis is way up north,” Malik added. “It used to be the capital of Senegal!”

They were traveling to Senegal to attend a jazz festival in St. Louis, a city known for its music, rivers, and beautiful old buildings. Their assignment was special:

learn about the shared history of African and African American music, find knowledge gaps on Wikipedia, and help fill them—with words, photos, and interviews.

None of the children had ever been to Africa before.

But Africa didn’t feel far away.

Research Before the Journey

Before the trip, the WikiExplorers met every afternoon to prepare.

They watched YouTube videos of jazz festivals along the Senegal River. They saw musicians playing trumpets, saxophones, and drums as the sun set behind pastel-colored buildings.

“Look at that architecture,” said Zoey. “It looks like New Orleans, but older.”

“That’s because St. Louis and New Orleans are connected by history,” explained their teacher, Ms. Carter. “Trade, migration, and music moved along rivers and across oceans.”

The children noticed something else.

“There’s a lot about the festival,” Jamal said, scrolling through Wikipedia, “but not much about the kids, the neighborhoods, or how local people experience it.”

“That’s a knowledge gap,” Ms. Carter said, smiling.

The WikiExplorers wrote it down.

Music That Traveled

Some of the children had a personal connection to Senegal.

“My mom was born in Dakar,” said Fatou.

“My dad’s family is from Saint-Louis,” added Ibrahima. “He says jazz feels familiar there, like it came home.”

They talked about jazz traveling—from Africa to the Americas through rhythm and memory, and then back again through sound.

“It’s like a circle,” Malik said.

“Or a river,” Amina replied. “Always moving.”

Wikicommons 

One afternoon, Theo raised his hand.

“I’ve been using CapCut,” he said. “I turn my photos into short videos. I upload the photos to Wikicommons, then make clips that explain what people are seeing.”

The room buzzed.

“You can do that?”

“Will you show us?”

“Can we add captions in different languages?”

Theo nodded proudly. “I’ll teach everyone when we get there.”

Their second assignment from the two adults traveling with them was clear:

Take high-quality photos

Do short interviews

Document music, architecture, and daily life

Upload everything to Wikicommons so the world could learn

The children practiced interviewing each other.

“What does jazz mean to you?”

“How does this festival bring people together?”

“What do you want others to know about St. Louis?”

Looking Ahead

The night before departure, the children couldn’t sleep.

They imagined walking across the Faidherbe Bridge, hearing music drift through narrow streets, and standing in front of buildings that had watched history unfold.

They weren’t just tourists.

They were WikiExplorers—young knowledge keepers, photographers, listeners, and learners.

“Tomorrow,” Jamal whispered, “we don’t just visit history.”

“We help tell it,” Amina replied.

And somewhere across the Atlantic, the rhythm was already waiting for them.