Celebrating Culture
Celebrating black history
BY BRET LOVE
CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF SPECIAL EXHIBITS, FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY
BLACK HISTORY MONTH was started in 1926 as Negro History Week by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson (who chose February because it was the birth month of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln), but the celebration didn’t evolve into a monthlong affair until 1976, when the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History officially established it. Thirty-two years later, Black History Month is observed throughout the country with a wealth of events designed to educate and inform the public about the significant contributions to society made by people with African heritage.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS THROUGH CONCERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Learn about segregation
at the Atlanta History Center
ATLANTA
Celebrating a monumental development in the Civil Rights movement, “Courage: The Vision to End Segregation, the Guts to Fight for It” is a groundbreaking exhibition that tells the story of one community’s battle to fight legal segregation in America’s public schools. These photographs, oral histories and historical artifacts tell the story of the Rev. J. A. De Laine and the citizens of Clarendon County, South Carolina, whose grassroots community activism began the lengthy legal battles that ultimately led to the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education, which declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.
Celebrate African-American creativity
at the Museum of Science & Industry
CHICAGO
“The Magic and Science of Cinema and Television” is an interactive exhibit that explores the history of African-Americans in news programs, TV shows and films, both in front of and behind the camera. Part of the museum’s annual six-week Black Creativity celebration, the exhibit will introduce visitors to black entertainment icons ranging from silent film era greats like Oscar Micheaux (the first black man to produce and direct a film) to Soul Food writer/director George Tillman and Daughters of the Dust writer/director Julie Dash. Guests can also create their own scripts and corresponding storyboards, place themselves in action scenes using “green-screen” technology, see how makeup transforms men into monsters, explore a movie set and much more.
Groove to the sounds of the Pathmark Gospel Choir Competition
NEW YORK CITY
On February 16, head to the World Financial Center on West Street between Vesey and Liberty streets for a taste of some friendly competition in gospel music. (The total prize: $10,000.) What’s more, the Black Music Caucus of New York International School Gospel Choir Olympics are also taking place February 14-16 at the Riverbank State Park Cultural Theater in Hamilton Heights. As a result, New York will play host to one of the largest gatherings of formal gospel choir to date.
Encourage youth empowerment and awareness at Tribute to Black History Month
DALLAS
Sponsored by a variety of local entertainment companies and charities, the third annual Tribute to Black History Month is February 22-24 at the Erykah Badu Black Forest Theater and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center. This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment and Cultural Awareness,” was developed in response to youth violence and the general lack of cultural knowledge in surrounding communities. Last year’s celebration featured appearances by Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, Swishahouse Records CEO Michael Watts and OG Ron C, all striving to unite families and businesses for a common cause.
www.blackhistory08.eventbrite.com
Learn about colonial times at the Museum of African American History
BOSTON
Dedicated to preserving and interpreting the contributions of African-Americans in New England from the colonial period through the 19th century, this museum features two significant landmarks as well as a Black Heritage Trail, which tells the story of the area’s organized black communities. The 200-year-old African Meeting House—the oldest black church edifice still standing in the US—was host to numerous giants in the Abolitionist Movement (including Frederick Douglass), while the Abiel Smith School (built in 1834) was the first building in America constructed for the sole purpose of being a public school for black children. Together, these historic sites remind visitors of the invaluable role African-Americans had in building this country’s colonial foundation.
Explore the National Museum of African Art
WASHINGTON, DC
Fusing compelling visual imagery with deeply held spiritual beliefs and a profound sense of social purpose, the African art diaspora has had an immense impact on our modern culture. Running the gamut from the ancient to the contemporary, the museum’s remarkable collection includes everything from ceramics, textiles and tools to masks and musical instruments. “African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection,” on view through September, features more than 80 rare works from one of the world’s most respected collections of traditional art from sub-Saharan Africa.
Delve into works by Maryland’s black
artists at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
BALTIMORE
Opened in 2005, this museum is dedicated to sharing the journey toward freedom of black Marylanders. The permanent collection—a year-round testament to the state’s African-Americans—includes “The Strength of the Mind: Black Art and Intellect,” which tells the story of early slaves who brought skills in music, art, dance, sculpture and more. Through March 30, get lost in the colorful exhibit, “Textural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American Quilts.” The 64 quilts represent the relationship between art and jazz, both of which are a woven expression of the artist.
www.africanamericanculture.org
Visit the Old Slave Mart Museum
CHARLESTON, SC
Between 1789 and 1861, more than two million black slaves were sold in the US. Opened last October, this historic building is a relic of Charleston’s antebellum period, when the city served as a commercial center for the South’s plantation economy. The museum’s permanent exhibit includes an overview of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, a view of the building’s history and its impact on Charleston’s quest for modernization. The temporary “Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery” offers an inspiring look at the cultural, political, economic and social practices Africans developed while enduring the conditions of slavery.
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