FEBRUARY 2020: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Celebrate African American History Month with fellow Missourians at an event near you:

Western Missouri

• The Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City host the 2020 Black History Luncheon & Annual Fundraising Event. The Legacy Lives, “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now!” with Keynote Speaker Quinton D. Lucas, Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. This special event takes place at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Pierson Auditorium from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit online or call 816-221-1600.

• The Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, Missouri presents George Washington Carver: America’s Leonardo da Vinci. The event features presenter Diane Eilenstein providing a look at Carver’s life, his efforts to help African- American farmers, and his contribution to American society. The event will be held on February 3 from 6-7 p.m. at the Independence branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library. To register, please visit the library’s website.

• The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art presents Dissecting the Past: A History of Black Healthcare in Kansas City. On February 29 from 1:30-2:30 p.m., in celebration of Black History Month, join local historian Geri Sanders for this special presentation as she goes back in time to share the fascinating history of how the African-American community pioneered a medical legacy. Please visit here for more information.

Central Missouri

•  Missouri State University presents Sankofa: Black History Month Banquet 2020. In its fourth year, Sankofa will provide a full soul food dinner and program focused on celebrating Black history and culture. This special event takes place on February 22 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. For additional information or to RSVP, please visit online or contact Yvania Garcia-Pusateri at 417-836-8921.

• The University of Missouri Libraries and the MU Black History Month Committee present Black History and Culture Trivia Night. On February 29, join celebrity emcee Dr. Cynthia Frisby of the MU School of Journalism and friends from the MU and Daniel Boone Regional Libraries for a fun and competitive celebration of African-American history and culture. Supper is at 6 p.m., and trivia commences at 6:30 p.m. Please visit the SHSMO events webpage for additional information.

• The Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy presents Slavery and Politics at the University of Missouri, 1839-1856. In his February 21 talk, Kinder Institute Postdoc Zachary Dowdle will explore the university’s connections, and resistance, to the slave economy and slave politics in the decades after its founding. The event will be held at 3:30 p.m. in Jesse Hall, Room 410.

Eastern Missouri

•  The Saint Louis Story Stichers present Stand Down, Rise Up, Respect and Redirect, an exploration of African Americans throughout Missouri’s history who have influenced gun violence today by black artists and young poets aged 16-24 who currently reside in St. Louis City and County. The project is sponsored by Brown School of Social Work, Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity. Presentations will take place on February 17 at Hillman Hall on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. This event is free and open to the public.

• The St. Louis County Library Lewis & Clark Branch and The Black Rep present Character Building.This one-man musical is adapted from the talks Booker T. Washington gave students and faculty at Tuskegee University. The performance includes Negro spirituals intertwined with hymns of encouragement. See the show on February 7 at 7 p.m. at the St. Louis County Library Lewis & Clark Branch.

• On February 22, the St. Louis Symphony presents Every Voice: Black History Month Celebration. Join the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and IN UNISON Chorus for this cherished annual tradition – an evening of reflective and soulful music that celebrates the music of African-American and African cultures, which have inspired and influenced the St. Louis region and communities around the world. For more information, please visit the event website.

• The St. Louis County Library hosts its Black History Month Celebration. Keynote speaker Valerie Jarrett will be discussing her book, Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward. From her work ensuring equality for women and girls, advancing civil rights, reforming our criminal justice system, and improving the lives of working families, to the real stories behind some of the most stirring moments of the Obama presidency, Valerie Jarrett shares her forthright, optimistic perspective on the importance of leadership and the responsibilities of citizenship in the 21st century. The event will take place February 7 at 7 p.m. at the St. Louis County Library Headquarters. 

• Learn how to use databases to find biographies, speeches, and historic events related to African Americans, as the St. Louis County Library Indian Trails Branch hosts Explore Black History in St. Louis. This event takes place on February 10 beginning at 2 p.m.

Learn more at the following Black History Month resources:

• The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASLAH) investigates the 2020 theme, African Americans and the Vote. Visit the website for further information and additional ASLAH products and events.

• Celebrate Black History Month with PBS’s Black Culture Connection programming. Explore BCC online for specific details.

• Explore Black History at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s website or get involved with your local NAACP unit.