The Carver Community Center in Evansville, Indiana, uses an academic enrichment program to support neighborhood students. The curriculum involves children in learning about African-American literary traditions and folk art. The Center's work is based on the premise that African-American children need to encounter the reality of history as in integral part of the curriculum; not as a superficial add-on. During the after-school program described in this article, students constructed replicas of indigenous art from inexpensive and commonly found materials. The ecology of learning during this 3-month activity was rich in music, storytelling, and creativity. Elementary students participated in informal pre- and post-activity discussions that indicated an increased level of awareness about African-American history. In this article, the authors describe the setting in which this project occurred, an overview of supporting literature, the method and materials used to engage K-6 students in the process of discovery, and an illustration of the effects of this project on participant learning. The work at the Carver Community Center demonstrates that non-traditional community organizations also ascribe to high academic standards and use curricula in ways that enhance self esteem and promote academic achievement. (Contains 1 table.)