2016 BMER BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM RECAP
BMER’s first quarterly meeting on February 17, 2016 was our Black History Month Celebration Honoring Virginia’s Black Male Authors. Our theme was “LOOKING BACK at History and GOING FORWARD.”
An Authors Reception provided a notable networking opportunity for authors, with an encouraging word offered by Sadiq Ali, author of Benjamin E. Mays Institute: Educating Young Black Males.
The program for the public began with the Welcome by BMER founder Meldon Jenkins-Jones, Law Librarian. BMER Partner Kerwyn Philip connected history with our future by reviewing his use of Hip Hop History to connect to teens in the BMER program. Philip introduced 14 authors whose books represent empowering texts, some of which will be used in the BMER literacy program.
Richmond Public Library Board of Directors member Danita Green introduced Clarence “Bucky” McGill, one of the Syracuse 8. He reviewed the history of the struggle for equality in sports at Syracuse University in the early 1970s, the subject of the book Leveling the Playing Field: The Story of the Syracuse 8 by David Marc. McGill led the discussion, “Is There a Change in Direction Within the Struggle?”
The audience of over 100 people also enjoyed hearing the Readings from Writing Our Way Out by authors, David Coogan, Kelvin Belton, Ronald Fountain, Naji Mujabid, and Dean Turner. Following the Break featuring refreshments provided by the Richmond Public Library Foundation, Evans D. Hopkins, author of Life After Life: A Story of Rage and Redemption, showed his short film “Beyond the Horizon”.
Meldon Jenkins-Jones presented Thank You certificates to the authors. They had been designed by Dianne Wilmore who hosted the successful BMER Summer Book Club at North Avenue Branch Library. Finally, library patrons enjoyed a “Meet & Greet the Authors” session featuring book signings.
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