Celebrate Black History Month at FCPL

Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) will celebrate Black culture through a series of free educational programs at all four libraries this month. 

Gnimbin Ouattara, Ph.D., will return to FCPL to present “The Origins of the Black Family in America” on Thursday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. at the Post Road Library. Dr. Ouattara is a filmmaker, a Fulbright scholar, and Associate Professor of History and International Studies at Brenau University. His presentation this year covers the historical and cultural implications that have led to how the Black family exists in America today.

“We’re thrilled to welcome back Dr. Ouattara. He has never failed to enthrall our patrons with whatever he has been working on. He has presented on topics ranging from the transatlantic slave trade to what the Harlem Renaissance could teach us about the COVID-19 pandemic. His information is always fresh and fascinating,” says Information Services Supervisor Kim Ottesen.

Professional storyteller Josie Bailey will present “Storytelling and Oral History in Black Culture” on Saturday, February 5, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. at Sharon Forks Library. Bailey will share traditional stories and stories of important Black figures in history, as well as discuss the importance and history of storytelling in the Black community. This program is designed for adults, but elementary-aged children and teens are welcome to attend.

“The Poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks,” a program about the first Black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize, will be presented by Dr. Ian Afflerbach, Assistant Professor of American Literature at the University of North Georgia, on Sunday, February 6, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Hampton Park Library.

This program is the tenth program in FCPL’s ongoing "Race and American Culture" series. Dr. Afflerbach will examine how Gwendolyn Brooks captured the African-American experience of urban space during "The Great Migration” with her poems "Kitchenette Building," "The Vacant Lot," and "A Song in the Front Yard.” 

Inspired in his youth by artists like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis, professional musician Dwan Bosman will share the jazz that inspired his own musical journey in “An Afternoon of Jazz with Dwan Bosman” on Sunday, February 13, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. at Sharon Forks Library.

Dr. Anjulet Tucker discusses Atlanta's very own Chicago Steppin community in “Dance and Belonging: Atlanta’s Chicago Steppin Community” on Saturday, February 19, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. at the Cumming Library. Dr. Tucker is a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Emory University’s Laney Graduate School and is passionate about promoting the preservation and visibility of Chicago Steppin, an African-American partnered social dance that has become increasingly popular in Atlanta and other areas.

“She Gathers Me: Networks Among Black Women Writers” will be on exhibit from Friday, February 25 – Sunday, March 27 at the Sharon Forks Library. This exhibit examines the connections between Black women writers beyond their published works and features writers like Alice Walker, Audre Lorde, Pearl Cleage, Tayari Jones, and others.

Each event in the series is open to the public and admission is free. No registration is required to attend any of these events. 

For more information our Celebrating Black History Month series and other upcoming events at the Library, please visit our Events Calendar at www.forsythpl.org.