Events planned across the state for Black History Month

Posted: Friday, January 28, 2011 10:35 am

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During Black History Month, stories of courage and triumph will be told throughout Tennessee with music, exhibits, discussions and more. See below for Black History Month events happening throughout the state.

Clarksville– The CW150 Commission will host a Civil War Freedmen’s Cotillion at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Riverview Inn. There will be dinner, period music, dancing and historical interpretations and a special guest, FREED, during the event. For more information, please visit www.clarksvillecivilwar.com.

Dickson – The Clement Railroad Hotel Museum/Hotel Halbrook Historic Site will host a presentation by researcher/author John Baker at 2 p.m. Feb. 26. Addressing African American genealogical research, Baker will present the challenges he faced while researching his family history. For more information, please call (615) 446-0500.

Franklin – On Feb. 26, The Battle of Franklin Trust will host interpreter and storyteller Dr. Naima Johnston-Bush who will perform Negro spirituals and will discuss the songs’ history and significance as a historical American art.  The event will be held at 1 p.m. at the Fleming Center. For more information, please contact Leigh Bawcom at leigh@battleoffranklintrust.org.

Hartsville – William Herman Wright will be recognized at St. John Missionary Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Feb. 5. Wright is one of two living African Americans from the Macon/Trousdale area who served in World War II. 

Knoxville – The Beck Cultural Exchange Center is a learning museum of African-American history and culture that researches, collects, conserves and exhibits achievements of African Americans. The museum’s exhibitions are on display 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, please visit http://www.discoveret.org/beckcec/index.html. 

Lebanon–Fiddlers Grove Historic Village will host “Emancipation to Leadership,” which will feature tours and demonstrations with a special focus on the Cartmell Cabin, Wheeler School and AC Wharton Store. For more information, please visit, www.fiddlersgrove.org. 

Livingston – The Overton County Historical Society will host The Underground Railroad Code, a colorful and informative demonstration of how quilts were used to send messages to runaway slaves during the 1800s. Quilts will be on display Feb. 1-3 at the Millard Oakley Public Library. For more information, please visit www.overtonco.com. 

Memphis – The National Civil Rights Museum celebrates this year its 20th anniversary. The museum will offer a number special programs and activities throughout the year in commemoration. For more information, please visit www.civilrightsmuseum.org. 

Nashville – The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson will present various celebrations throughout the month of February. A Celebration of Music, taking place Feb. 3, will present spirituals to contemporary gospel songs sung by area church choirs. A Celebration of Dance, held Feb. 10, will present a retrospective of dance, from African traditions through the present day. Culinary historian Michael Twitty will present an interactive food program during A Celebration of Food on Feb. 17. During A Celebration of Legacy, representatives from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will be on hand to discuss the legacy of slavery and its continued impact  on Feb. 24. For more information, please visit www.thehermitage.com. 

Celebrate Black History Month at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art with a special program where visitors can learn about the stone carvings of William Edmondson, his contribution to African American Art, and the intriguing time in which he lived and worked. For more information, please visit www.cheekwood.org. 

The Adventure Science Center’s Biomedical Faces of Science exhibit focuses on minorities in science careers. The exhibit, on display throughout February, is a multi-media, inquiry-based exhibit designed to encourage the next generation of researchers and scientists. The center will also feature the planetarium show, “Skywatchers of Africa,” which highlights the diversity of African astronomy and celebrates the shared human experience. For more information, please visit www.adventuresci.com. 

Jazz guitarist, Geary Moore, an accomplished composer and master technician will perform Feb. 3 at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts’ Music in the Café program. Moore spent a large portion of his professional career working in New York and has performed with a “Who’s Who” of musicians, including George Benson, Jimmy Ponder, Arthur Prysock, Ruth Brown and more. For more information, please visit www.fristcenter.org. 

The Scarritt-Bennett Center will host Dialogues on Racism every Tuesday, Feb. 1-March 8. 

The event features a dialogue circle of eight to 12 diverse individuals discussing feelings, opinions and thoughts in a non-defensive, non-critical environment. For more information, please visit www.scarrittbennett.org. 

B.B. King’s Blues Club and Restaurant will host its Music City Soul Series every Thursday in February. Each week, a different group of artists will perform during this soul music concert series. For more information, please visit www.bbkingclubs.com. 

Part of Vanderbilt University’s International Lens Film Series, “Freedom House: Street Saviors,” will be shown, taking a look at the economically disadvantaged African Americans in 1967 who created the country’s first specially-trained paramedic emergency unit. For more information, please visit www.vanderbilt.edu/internationallens/. 

Oak Ridge – The American Museum of Science and Energy will host a special exhibit, Scarboro, Tennessee: The Early Days 1942-1960, opening Feb. 6 and running through April 25. Through photographs, artifacts and oral history, visitors will learn about the lives of African Americans who lived in Scarboro from the World War II Manhattan Project through 1960. For more information, please visit www.amse.org. 

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 wcp 1/27/11