Black History Month is celebrated nationwide each February, and we asked our member libraries to share with us how they recognized this important national celebration this year! Read on to see what school, public, and academic libraries from across the state did this February to honor Black History Month in their institutions and communities.
At the Westfield Memorial Library, events took center stage with a full month of programs including adult and teen book discussions, a Zydeco performance for kids, a portrayal of Langston Hughes, and more! Check out their February flyer, below, to see all the events.
At the North Warren Regional school library, which serves students in grades 7-12, a Black History Month book display (pictured to the left) featured The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander. The book was left open and one page was turned each day, so that students could visit daily and read the whole story by the end of the month! The library also partnered with the Student Unity Association to create a bulletin board for Black History Month (pictured to the right) and offered a STEM design challenge station in the media center for February, encouraging students to use Perler beads to create designs in honor of Black History Month!
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At the Clarence Dillon Public Library, film screenings helped to celebrate and educate this February! Their Classic Films Series screened Lilies of the Field, which features Sidney Poitier in the performance that made him the first person of color to win an Academy Award for a leading role, and their Friday Movie Matinee screened The Woman King, a more recent film based on the true story of the all-female Agojie army that protected the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s. The library continued its celebration of the arts with a Women's Forum discussion of performer Lena Horne and an exhibition of artwork from Somerville artist Les Floyd, pictured below. |
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The Union Public Library worked with community partners to bring their Black History month events to life. With the Urban League of Union County, UPL sponsor the virtual event "Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer." The program featured Washington Post reporter DeNeen Brown leading an exploration of the discovery of a mass grave in Tulsa, Oklahama and chronicling the early 20th century's racial violence in the US. UPL also worked with the Union County Department of Community Engagement and Diversity to host a Youth Hair-itage Workshop Series for young patrons ages 7-11. Details about the series can be found in the event flyer, pictured here on the left. |
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At Rider University's Moore Library, a Black History Month book display (pictured below) featured a wide range of both popular and lesser-known titles. One featured title that served as a particular point of pride this year was the recently published Why Wakanda Matters: What Black Panther Reveals About Psychology, Identity, and Communication (pictured at left) edited by Rider professor Sheena C. Howard. |
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At Hamilton Free Public Library, storyteller Michelle Washington Wilson (pictured at right) took patrons on a "mesmerizing" journey into the life and times of Harriet Tubman with her Harriet Tubman: Tales From the Trails program. The program featured an in-depth look at Harriet Tubman's life and helped make the local connection to New Jersey Underground Railroad stops. The library paired this unique look at an important figure in Black American History with a Black History Month book display! Book displays were also the focus at Verona Public Library, where three displays placed emphasis on three different topics - historical content, books by Black authors, and books that celebrate queer Black joy. Take a peek at the three displays below! |
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The focus on book displays continued at Atlantic County Library System's Pleasantville Branch, but this one had a unique twist! Library Assistant Montia Santiago created a Black History Month book display - pictured at left - all about celebrating hair and its important place in black culture! Meanwhile, at Princeton Public Library, Black History Month was celebrated with a special Resource Guide and a series of events. Events included an art talk by Terrance Cummings, a screening series featuring "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America" (paired with tastings from local chefs!), and a discussion with author Korey Garibaldi in conversation with Kinohi Nishikawa that patrons could attend in-person or watch live or recorded via YouTube. |
| The New Brunswick Free Public Library also hosted a special event - this one for kids. Their children's event, Beautiful Shades of Brown, celebrated Black History with art. After reading Nancy Churin's biography of artist Laura Wheeler Waring, called Beautiful Shades of Brown, and the picture book Brown: The Many Shades of Love by Nancy Johnson, attendees celebrated that brown is beautiful by creating artwork using only shades of brown. Some of their work is picture here on the right! |  |
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Art was also on the schedule at Union City Public Library! Young Union City patrons were invited to an after-school "Art Like Alma" pop-up event, where they had the opportunity to create paper mosaic art (pictured at left). Artwork was inspired by the famous abstract African American artist Alma Woodsey Thomas. In addition to creating their own art, children were able to browse a display of children's books by African American authors, available all month long, and attend a celebration of Black History n the form of a storytelling event. Storyteller Julie Pasqual visited the library to present an African American folktales event for Union City patrons! A flyer for the event is pictured here, at far left. |
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Programming also served as a way to celebrate at Trenton Free Public Library, where their Black History Month open mic event – Voices of our History- Honoring Black Voices of the Past, Present and Future (pictured above) - drew a crowd of 40 attendees. Photos of some of the participants can be viewed below.
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At Millburn Free Public Library, a suggested Black History Month reading display was paired with a number of library programs. Events included: "Black History in the Age of Jim Crow" with the New York Historical Society, "Dance and Drumming Workshop: Origins of Uganda's Rhythms and Dance" with Ssuuna, "Teen Art Workshop With Express Yourself Studios" with a focus on art of the Harlem Renaissance, and more! View their events flyer (here on the left) for a look at the full program list! |
Thank you to all of the members who took the time to share with us! We hope the events, displays, and outreach activities featured here will inspire you with new ways to honor and celebrate Black History at your library next February, or all year long!