For Immediate Release: Monday, February 5, 2007
In observance of Black History Month, Montgomery County Public Libraries pays tribute to African Americans and their culture. Celebrations will feature storytellers, lectures, book discussions, performances, concerts and other events. The programs are sponsored by the Multicultural Library Advisory Committee and Friends of the Library, Montgomery County.
Programs will be held according to the following schedule:
Wednesday, February 7—The Book Discussion Group will feature Michael Eric Dyson’s “Come Hell or High Water,” a searing assessment of the meaning of Hurricane Katrina. Combining interviews with survivors of the disaster with his deep knowledge of black migrations and government policy over decades, Dyson provides the historical context that has been missing from public conversation. 7 p.m. Silver Spring Library, 8901 Colesville Rd. Call 240-773-9420.
Thursday, February 8 -- African American Book Discussion will feature “The Covenant with Black America,” by Tavis Smiley. Six years worth of symposiums convened by a group led by Smiley come together in this collection of essays that plot a vital course for African Americans, explaining how individuals and households can make
changes that will immediately improve their circumstances in areas ranging from health and education to crime reduction and financial well-being. 7 p.m. Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Ave. Call 240-777-0678.
Saturday, February 10 – Historical novel discussion of the fact-based book by Montgomery County author Thomas B. Hargrave, Jr. entitled “Twenty miles from yesterday: The Saga of Anthony Brown.” The story is about a young slave in Prince George’s County who gained his freedom and founded the first YMCA for African Americans and became a leader in the Underground Railroad. Program celebrates Library Lovers Month and Black History Month. 11 a.m. Fairland Library, 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville. Call 240-773-9460; 711 Maryland Relay Service.
Saturday, February 10 -- Baba Jamal Koram, master storyteller; brings African and African American cultures alive through folklore, fables and stories. Family program. 11 a.m. Little Falls Library, 5501 Massachusetts Ave., Bethesda. Call 240-773-9520.
Sunday, February 11 -- Folk Music of African Americans, a musical history of the lives and music of the African American people, features music accompanied by a keyboard. Grades 9-12 and adults. 3 p.m. Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave. Call 240-773-9490.
Monday, February 12 -- Keepin' It Real: Urban Fiction and its Implications for African American Literature, presented by Montgomery County Public Libraries. 7 p.m. Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Ave., Silver Spring. Call 240-777-0910.
Tuesday, February 13 -- African American Book Group will discuss “$40 Million Slaves,” by New York Times columnist and local author William C. Rhoden. The black athlete is deconstructed in this discussion of race, politics, and the history of American sports. Rhoden argues that for all their money and fame, black athletes are no better off than slaves whose masters forced them to race and fight. 7 p.m. White Oak Library, 11701 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-622-2492.
Saturday, February 17--Former Naval Lt. Commander Wesley Brown, the first Black Midshipmen to graduate from the United States Naval Academy, will give a presentation about the experiences that are detailed in “Breaking the Color Barrier: The U.S. Naval Academy's First Black Midshipmen and the Struggle for Racial Equality,” by Robert J. Schneller. 1 p.m. Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Ave. Call 240-777-0678.
Saturday, February 24 -- African dance troupe Soul in Motion Players performs "Reflecting Africa," an artistic combination of African drumming, dance, and spoken word. Family program. 11 a.m. Wheaton Library, 11707 Georgia Ave. 240-777-0678.
Tuesday, February 27 -- African American Film Circle celebrates Black History Month with a screening of “Body and Soul,” a silent film produced and directed in 1925 by film pioneer Oscar Micheaux and starring Paul Robeson. 7 p.m. Silver Spring Library, 8901 Colesville Rd. Call 240-773-9420.
Tuesday, February 27 –Book discussion on “Secret Daughter: A Mixed-race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave her Away” by June Cross. 11 a.m. Kensington Park Library, 4201 Knowles Ave. Call 240-773-9515.
For a complete schedule of special events, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library.