Schools, organizations honor Black History Month

Published 6:30 am Tuesday, February 5, 2019

It’s been 50 years since black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University first proposed dedicating time each year to black history. It’s been almost a century since Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February as “Negro History Week.”

The following are some of the many ways people in Limestone County will honor Black History Month in 2019. Unless otherwise noted, each event is free and open to the public.

Film series

Calhoun Community College’s Black Student Alliance will start the month by showing three films from 2018 that shared or made history. “Black Panther” — the first Marvel film to have a predominantly black cast, first superhero film to be nominated for “Best Picture” at the Academy Awards and the highest-grossing film by a black director — will air 12:30 p.m. today in Room 167 of the Math, Science and Administration Building on the Decatur campus and 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in Room 33 of the Huntsville campus.

“The Hate U Give” is based on a novel of the same name and follows a 16-year-old who witnesses her unarmed black friend’s death at the hands of a white police officer. BSA will show the movie 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 167 of the Math, Science and Administration Building on the Decatur campus and 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, in Room 33 of the Huntsville campus.

“BlacKkKlansman” shares the story of Ron Stallworth, the first black police officer to serve with the Colorado Springs Police Department, as he infiltrates the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. BSA will play this film 12:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 167 of the Math, Science and Administration Building on the Decatur campus and 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in Room 33 of the Huntsville campus.

A fourth film is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, in Room 33 of the Huntsville campus, though it has not been announced what that film is.

Athens State film

Athens State University will host a film screening of “Green Book” at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, in McCandless Hall. The movie focuses on Don Shirley, an African-American pianist, and Tony Lip, his bodyguard and driver, as they travel for a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962.

The screening is sponsored by Athens State’s Student Government Association and the Livingston Concert Lecture Series.

Unveiling

Alabama Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church of America will host an unveiling ceremony for its new historic marker 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10. The Rev. Mitchell Walker, pastor of Church Street CPCA, will preach a dedicatory sermon.

The church is at the intersection of Cross Key Road and Alabama 127, north of Athens. There will be musical performances and refreshments.

NAACP

Limestone County NAACP will celebrate 110 years of civil rights activism with food and drinks 2–5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12. The event marks the 109th Founders Day Celebration and will take place at Hobbs Plaza, 809 U.S. 72, Suite D, Athens.

The NAACP will also host a question-and-answer session between community members and local law enforcement 6–8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Village View United Methodist Church, 331 Hine St., Athens.

For more information on either event, call Wilbert Woodruff at 256-227-8489.

Civil War history

Peggy Allen Towns will present “North Alabama’s African-Americans during the Civil War” at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, in Room 166 of the Math, Science and Administration Building of the Calhoun Community College Decatur campus. Towns is the author of “Duty Driven: The Flight of North Alabama’s African-Americans during the Civil War” and “Scottsboro Unmasked: Decatur’s Story.”

Road trip

Calhoun’s Black Student Alliance is sponsoring a trip to the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery. Vans will depart from each campus, but those interested must RSVP with a BSA sponsor to reserve a spot.

For more information on this event, contact Calhoun’s Department of Institutional Advancement at 256-306-2561.

Paint parties

A Black History Month paint party will be held 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in Room 33 of the Huntsville campus of Calhoun Community College. A second party is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in Room 119 of the Math, Science and Administration Building of the Decatur campus.

Gospel fest

The 29th annual Gospel Fest, hosted by Calhoun’s Black Student Alliance, will be held 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in the Student Center of the Huntsville campus.

Davids Temple

Davids Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Tanner will hold its annual Black History Month program 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at the church. Angela Scott, a nursing instructor at Calhoun Community College, will be the guest speaker.

District 3 City Councilman Frank Travis will perform a skit.

Art and film

Athens State will present art themed around the African-American experience in North Alabama from pre-Civil War to present day. An art exhibit opening reception will take place from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, in the Athens State Library.

A screening of “Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequality” with forum discussion will follow at 6 p.m. in McCandless Hall.