The City of Fort Lauderdale honors Black History Month as part of the ongoing 2011 Centennial Celebration. A variety of free public events and educational programs throughout February offer residents and visitors a chance to participate in Black History Month and the yearlong Centennial Celebration.
Remembering Our Roots
Remembering Our Roots will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2011 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Riverland Park, 950 S.W. 27th Avenue. This free program will feature live performances from several diverse musical, dance and specialty groups. Appearances will include an African-American dance exhibition as well as special performances from our after-school groups. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information on Remembering Our Roots, please call (954) 321-1234.
Kijiji Moja
Join us for the return of Kijiji Moja on Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Joseph C. Carter Park, 1450 W. Sunrise Boulevard. Kijiji Moja means “one village” in Swahili. This free event helps communities and their families unite through live entertainment, drumming circles, ethnic crafts, tribal storytelling and other inner-attainment.
For more information on Kijiji Moja, please call (954) 828-5411
Sistrunk Parade and Festival, February 26, 2011 - 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Sistrunk Parade and Festival, now in its 32nd year, promotes community partnerships and family-friendly activities to more than 300,000 visitors annually. This premier event along the Sistrunk Corridor features live local and national entertainment, food and arts and crafts.
The parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Mount Olive Baptist Church, which is located at 400 NW 9th Avenue. New this year, the event will include a “Sistrunk Festival Zone” with bounce houses, face painting, cotton candy, hotdogs, storytelling, entertainment, vendors and much more on NW 6th Street between NW 27th Avenue and NW 31st Avenue. For more information, call (954) 687-3472 or visit www.sistrunkfestival.org.
A Walk Through History - February 28
City Commissioner Bobby B. DuBose presents A WALK THROUGH HISTORY,
A Night of Art, Music, and Storytelling, from 7 to 9 pm at Elks Lodge #652, 712 NW 2nd Street. For details and to RSVP, call 954-828-4753.
Exhibits
Two exhibits that honor Black History Month will be on display in the 1st floor lobby of City Hall through Feb. 28, 2011. City Hall is located at 100 North Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
The Centennial historical exhibit follows a chronological timeline to recount the rich history of Fort Lauderdale's African America community from the 1890s to present day. The exhibit combines themes from Debra Work's book, "My Soul is a Witness," with photos from the personal collections of local residents and the archives of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, Old Dillard Museum and the Broward County Historical Commission.
Also on display in City Hall is original artwork by Nzingah Oniwosan, a Haitian American artist who resides in Fort Lauderdale. In her exhibit, entitled "Beyond Black: The Proverb Series," Oniwosan utilizes pastels to create rich and vivid imagery based on evocative African sayings.
To view either exhibit currently on display, and a biography of Nzingah Oniwosan, visit www.fortlauderdale.gov/centennial/history.htm.
Initiatives
The City of Fort Lauderdale will participate in the 22nd National African American Read-In through its parks and recreation after school programs and will designate February as African American Read-In month, as part of its Black History Month celebration.
Sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English and National Council of Teachers of English, and endorsed by the International Reading Association, the goal of the 2011 African American Read-In is to document readers making the celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities.
Schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations, and interested citizens are encouraged to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting or coordinating Read-Ins in their local communities.
Hosting a Read-In can be as simple as bringing together family and friends to share a book, or as elaborate as arranging public readings and media presentations that feature African American writers. For more information, including a list of Read-Ins scheduled to take place in Fort Lauderdale, please call (954) 828-4742.
To learn more about the Centennial Celebration, visit the City for Fort Lauderdale website at www.fortlauderdale.gov or call the Centennial Celebration Committee staff liaison, Shannon Vezina, at (954) 828-4743.
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