Celebrate African American Heritage Month at HPL

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HOUSTON - Celebrate African American history as it comes alive at the Houston Public Library (HPL) through the voices and vision of writers, artists and leaders. Through the power and inspiration of poetry, documentary films, live performances and critical conversations, HPL honors and celebrates the heritage, culture and contributions of notable individuals. The legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. will also be remembered on the 50th anniversary year of his passing (April 4, 1968).

All events are free and open to the public.

Visit www.houstonlibrary.org/events-at-hpl to see more programs and events that are occurring this season!

  HPL brings Nikki Giovanni this February

HPLQ – (Houston Public Library Quarterly)  an Author Series Presents:
Nikki Giovanni – A Discussion on her book A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter

Thursday, February 15 | 7:30 PM
Cullen Performance Hall on UH Central Campus | 4300 University Blvd., 77204 | 832-393-1652

With A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter, Giovanni reveals the joy and peril of aging, and pays tribute to the poets, thinkers and students that hold court inside her mind and heart.

Seating is open and is first come, first served. www.houstonlibrary.org/hplq

LECTURES

Living in Freedman’s Town: African American Collections
Thursday, February 15  | 6:00 PM
The African American Library at the Gregory School | 1300 Victor St. 77019 | 832-393-1440

The Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC) and the African American Library at the Gregory School will discuss how life in Freedman’s Town, the historical center of African American cultural and professional life in Houston, is saved in several of our archival collections through the personal and family papers, photographs, and mementos of General S. and Mary Johnson, the Reverend Jack Yates, and Olee Yates McCullough amongst others. For questions, please contact HMRC at [email protected] or the African American Library at 832-393-1440.

Critical Conversations
Where Do We Go from Here? 
Looking to 2036 in 2018 through a three-part series on equality, equity and ethics

Hear from guest speakers and a diverse panel of community members followed by audience Q&A that addresses unanswered calls for social, economic, and civic advancement. With a special focus on Houston’s “Bicentennial Child”—born in 2018 and set to graduate from high school as our city turns 200—this series highlights the future of our common humanity as affected by contemporary urban education issues.

  • Equity - The Process

    Wednesday, February 28 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

    Central Library (Program Place) | 500 McKinney St., 77002

  • Ethics - The Pathway

    Tuesday, March 27 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

    University of St. Thomas

Watch HPL's very own Larry Payne discuss this very timely series on Houston Matters.

FILM DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Living Room at Your Library Presents:
This Is Our Home, It is Not For Sale

A Documentary Film Screening

  • Thursday, February 22 | 6 PM – 9:30 PMThe African American Library at the Gregory School | 1300 Victor St. 77019 | 832-393-1440
  • Saturday, February 24 | 1 PM - 4:30 PMCentral Library (Program Place) | 500 McKinney St., 77004 | 832-393-1313

King: A Filmed Record...Montgomery to Memphis
Saturday, February 3, 2018 | 1 PM
Collier Neighborhood Library | 6200 Pinemont, 77062 | 832-393-1740

Constructed from a wealth of archival footage, this documentary follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955 to 1968, in his rise from regional activist to world-renowned leader of the Civil Rights movement.

I Am Not Your Negro – Film Documentary
Riveting documentary combining Baldwin’s manuscript with footage of depictions of African-Americans throughout American history to illuminate the pervasiveness of American racism and the efforts to curtail it, from the civil rights movement to #BlackLivesMatter.

  • Saturday, February 17, 2018 | 2 PM – 4 PM

    The African American Library at the Gregory School | 1300 Victor St. 77019 | 832-393-1440

  • Saturday, February 8, 2018 | 5 PM

    Carnegie Neighborhood Library and Center for Learning | 1050 Quitman, 77009 | 832-393-1720

  • Saturday, February 10, 2018 | 1 PM

    Collier Neighborhood Library | 6200 Pinemont, 77062 | 832-393-1740

THE THEATER COMES TO HPL

Bright Star Theater Presents: Frederick Douglass
Experience the powerful story of the life and legacy of abolitionist, writer, and statesman Frederick Douglass on the 200th anniversary year of his birth.

  • Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 11 AM

    Stimley-Blue Ridge Neighborhood Library | 7007 West Fuqua, 77489 | 832-393-2370

  • Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 2 PM

    The African American Library at the Gregory School | 1300 Victor St. 77019 | 832-393-1440

  • Saturday, February 24, 2018 |4 PM

    Freed Montrose Neighborhood Library | 4100 Montrose, 77006 | 832-393-1800

Bright Star Theater Presents: Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History
In this production, the stories behind famous and forgotten hymns, work songs, and musical styles are brought to life by an energetic cast of actors!

  • Thursday, February 22, 2018 | 3 PM

    Mancuso Neighborhood Library | 6767 Belfort, 77087 | 832-393-1920

  • Thursday, February 22, 2018 | 6 PM

    Bracewell Neighborhood Library | 9002 Kingspoint Dr., 77075 | 832-393-2580

  • Monday, February 23, 2018 | 3:30 PM

    Moody Neighborhood Library | 9525 Irvington, 77076 | 832-393-1950

Ensemble Theater Presents:
A Sneak-Peak of Their Main Stage Production
Fetch Clay, Make Man

The play is set on the eve of the Cassius Clay―Sonny Liston rematch, and based on the friendship between the actor Stepin Fetchit and Cassius Clay―soon to become Muhammad Ali. Fetch Clay, Make Man explores how each handled a life in the public eye as black men in their respective eras.

Saturday, February 3, 2018 | 3:30 PM
The African American Library at the Gregory School | 1300 Victor St. 77019 | 832-393-1440

TRACE YOUR ANCESTRY

DNA and the African-American Experience: 
Creating networks to identify family connections

Saturday, February 10, 2018 | 10:30 – 11:30
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research | 5300 Caroline, 77004 | 832-393-2600

Attend this quick session to learn strategies on networking your potentially thousands of DNA matches to identify shared ancestors or families connecting you to a common ancestor or ancestral location. Spacing is limited.  Reservations required or please call 832-393-2600. Program for adults and teens ages 13-18 years

African-American Heritage Day with Guest Speaker Tim Pinnick
Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 10:30AM - 3:15PM
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research | 5300 Caroline, 77004 | 832-393-2600

Clayton Library is pleased to present Tim Pinnick - book author, article writer, and national speaker with more than 30 years of research experience.  Since 2008 he has been an associate instructor in the biennial “Researching African American Ancestors” course at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research.  He is at the intersection of history and genealogy, having presented historical papers at four large conferences and served on the boards of the Association of Professional Genealogists and Federation of Genealogical Societies. Space is limited. Reservations required. Space is limited. Please call 832-393-2600 with questions. Adults/Teens.

NEW EXHIBIT!
Chasing Perfection: An Exhibit on Legendary John S. Chase, FAIA, NOMAC
January 23 - June 2, 2018

The Chasing Perfection exhibition features architectural drawings, photographs, scrapbooks, and objects from John Saunders Chase's, the first first licensed African American architect in Texas, personal collection. Chase is considered one of the most important African American architects of the 20th century.

About the Houston Public Library
The Houston Public Library (HPL) operates 35 neighborhood libraries, four HPL Express Libraries, a Central Library, the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, The African American Library at the Gregory School, and the Parent Resource Library located in the Children’s Museum of Houston. With more than eight million visits per year in person and online, HPL is committed to excellent customer service and equitable access to information and programs by providing library customers with free use of a diverse collection of printed materials and electronic resources, Internet, laptop and computer use, and a variety of database and reference resources with live assistance online 24/7.

For further information, visit the Houston Public Library at www.houstonlibrary.org, on Twitter @houstonlibrary, on Facebook – houstonlibrary or call 832-393-1313.

 

Contact:
Marjorie Gonzalez
Office: 832.393.1381
[email protected]Blanca Quezada
Office 832-393-1382
[email protected]

About the Houston Public Library
The Houston Public Library (HPL) operates 35 neighborhood libraries, four HPL Express Libraries, a Central Library, the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, The African American Library at the Gregory School, and the Parent Resource Library located in the Children’s Museum of Houston. With more than eight million visits per year in person and online, HPL is committed to excellent customer service and equitable access to information and programs by providing library customers with free use of a diverse collection of printed materials and electronic resources, Internet, laptop and computer use, and a variety of database and reference resources with live assistance online 24/7.

For further information, visit the Houston Public Library at www.houstonlibrary.org, on Twitter @houstonlibrary, on Facebook – houstonlibrary or call 832-393-1313.