Billie Holiday, Langston Hughes, Jackie Robinson and about a dozen other black luminaries graced HUB Heritage Hall Monday night as part of Penn State's first Black Wax Museum.

Played by Penn State students, the "wax figures" spoke briefly about themselves as students drifted through the exhibit.

About 100 students attended the free event, which was open for more than two hours and showcased some of the most influential figures in the black community in celebration of Black History Month.

The event also marks the first of several events this week highlighting the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which will take place this Thursday.

Rather than featuring real wax figures, the museum used live students, who took on the roles of such famous figures as poet Maya Angelou and surgeon Charles Drew.

Attendees were free to travel from one historical figure to the next throughout the duration of the event. The performers recited brief biographies to the students, using props such as poetry books and baseball bats to illustrate their life achievements.

Other elements of the event included a PowerPoint presentation featuring additional historical figures, a dance performance by the Urban Dance Troupe and posters with historical facts placed in various locations.

The Black Wax Museum was a collaboration between Penn State's chapter of the NAACP and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Charles Cole, chairman of the event, said the organizers were aiming for something unique and educational in their celebration of Black History Month.

"Educating the community in this format is more lively and fun to learn," he said, adding that he hoped the information would stick with people after they left.

Kirin Kennedy, the president of Penn State's NAACP chapter, said the group wanted to create an "innovative and creative" atmosphere that would draw a wide range of students.