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Black History Month

Abayomi Doll Making Workshop

Photograph of materials in the doll-making kit.

This program was hosted in honor of Black History Month. I am of Gullah-Geechee descent and wanted to share and preserve my culture by teaching others.

The kit includes brown felts for making the dolls and West African textiles for dressing them. The kit also includes 'found objects' like sea shells, feathers, buttons and beads to adorn the dolls, an infographic about the Gullah-Geechee heritage and a free virtual tour of the 'Cum Yah Gullah' Exhibit at the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center.

Fall for Fine Arts 2: African American Artists

Fall for Fine Arts 2: African American Artists is an artist appreciation and art-making Zoom class followed by a mini art exhibit of submitted class work on our Instagram.

This program is based on the first Fall for Fine Arts series, which was offered in October 2020 to help celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month and fall traditions.

Excellence in Library Programming Award Presents: We Are the Alexandria Library Sit-In

In the 1930s, like most libraries in the Jim Crow South, Alexandria Library did not allow access to African Americans. In 1939, after an ongoing effort to convince officials to establish equal access to community resources, 26-year-old resident and attorney Samuel W. Tucker organized five other African American residents to participate in a sit-in protest.

Black Superhero Showcase

In honor of Black History Month in February, the Portland Library held an all-ages event with screenings, games and activities celebrating black superheroes. We screened episodes of “Static Shock,” a TV show from the early '00s that featured a black superhero, and had an array of games, coloring pages and a book display.

We have held the event for the past four years, and it has grown in popularity each time.

Heritage Makers

3D-printed enhancer speaker for cell phone speakers

Heritage Makers is a series of makerspace workshops that highlight a "maker" from history. The workshops are planned in conjunction with heritage or awareness months for which our library already has celebrations and programming, such as Women's History Month, Disability Awareness Month and Native American Heritage Month.

History Comes Alive

Emily Goodridge Grey talking to kids

History Comes Alive is a series of programs featuring dramatic portrayals of African American men and women who impacted not just Minnesota, but the entire nation. In these programs, historical figures come to life through performances by museum-trained actors, scripted storytelling and the use of props, artifacts, letters, publications, illustrations and maps. The series is offered in collaboration with the Minnesota African American Museum.

Who Am I? (Display)

Who Am I? A Black History Month Interactive Display

An interactive display for Black History Month, Who Am I? shares historically important facts about 17 black Americans. It invites users to read the information and guess to whom the facts are referring, then lift the cover page/fact sheet to reveal the image of the person, along with date of birth and, when applicable, date of death.

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