DURHAM, N.C. — One of the oldest Black public high schools in North Carolina is celebrating 100 years and is known for its rich history and major accomplishments.

What You Need To Know

• Hillside High School is celebrating 100 years this week
• Hillside High continues its legacy through its theater program’s play, “State of Urgency,” that students hope to take to an off-Broadway theater in New York 
• "State of Urgency" aims to address gun violence plaguing Durham and the country 

The school's theater program is among the activities that stand out. One student says it taught him how to have a voice and speak out about controversial topics, such as gun violence.

Students in the program credit the man behind the curtain, teacher Wendall Tabb, for its success.

High school senior Logan Lewis is one of the lead actors in Hillside High’s "State of Urgency" play, which focuses on gun violence plaguing Durham and the country. Students hope to take this performance to an off-Broadway theater in New York.

“I had a mission to portray a character and to really hit the audience with emotions that nobody else can hit it with,” Lewis said.

After 100 plays and 35 years as the director of the drama department at Hillside, Tabb is retiring.

“Gave me hope that these students that I’m teaching till this day are going to continue to do well, because I have something to look back on and can say 'they were doing well when it started, and they’re going to continue to do well, and I’m blessed,'” Tabb said.

After every performance, Tabb has a conversation with his students about what they learned, because each play has a strong message.

“Ask the questions of how we arrived to the conclusion, that there has to be a death,” Tabb said.

The play “State of Urgency” also aims to address Black-on-Black crime and tries to guide kids away from making bad choices.

“They should look at all of that and say, 'wow, we need to really look at where this world is and be able to be the force that make it a better place to live,'” Tabb said.

Lewis knows firsthand how a play like this can make someone think twice about their actions after his best friend lost his life last year.

“I called him my brother; he died from gun violence. I learned that there has to be change before our community gets worse and worse to the point where there’s no coming back,” Lewis said.

Lewis says that the play and his drama class inspired him to go to college. This fall, he’s attending North Carolina A&T and majoring in theater.

A series of events are planned this week for the school’s 100^th year celebration, including a centennial parade Saturday at 10 a.m. at N.C. Central University, which will end at Hillside.