Black History Month event planned by Northside group

By BARBARA ANN HORTON

Staff Writer

The local Black History Month celebration Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Northside Community Center, 1450 Garfield, will include a variety of topics pertaining to Black and African American heritage, according to organizers.

The Northside Community Center board is sponsoring the program, said board member Jo Ann Brandon.

“Topics were chosen to highlight Black Americans are a part of everything — art, all genres of music, dance, architecture, etc. — and have their own style of doing it,” Brandon said.

Rachael Smith will share information about African American Music at 11 a.m.

To help everyone understand, Lily Johnson Morris’s discussion at 11:15 a.m. is titled Innovation in Hair.

Brandon said, “Black Americans trying to be their authentic self has been an issue since we were brought over. Our hair has been and still is an issue. If our hair doesn’t reflect the Caucasian style it appears to cause conflict. Some feel natural black hair and hair styles are militant and aggressive.”

“Thanks to women like C.J. Walker, we set our own standards with products for Black hair and exploring the versatility of styling,” Brandon said. “Bone straight or curly, it is Black hair.”

Other parts of the program are: 11:30 a.m. Dance; 11:45 a.m. Strides in Arts and Crafts – Melvina Johnson; Noon, Classical, Jazz, Blues, & Gospel Music – Jerry Davis; and 12:15 p.m. Storytelling about our history.

The program may vary and “we may not have the dance or storytelling segments,” Brandon said.

Refreshments will be served and a silent auction held, Brandon said. Tickets for a 50/50 drawing may be purchased at the door. If the winner leaves before the drawing, the committee will notify them.