Black History Month Events

In the 21 years since Black History Month was founded, the February commemoration of African-American and African-Canadian achievement continues to thrive. The region offers many opportunities to participate in this month long celebration. In 1998, Electronic Highways devoted a column to this topic http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol29/vol29n20/, click on Electronic Highways). The links and information from that column remain relevant and informative, with the exception of the URL for the Amistad Research Center, which now is located at http://www.tulane.edu/~amistad/. A useful suggestion to add to that list is the University of Colorado at Boulder's Celebrating Black History on the Web http://www-libraries.colorado.edu/ps/gov/us/blackhistory.htm, which features biographies, slave narratives, historic Supreme Court decisions, literature and online exhibits relating to the African-American experience. Here are some links to present and future Black History Month events within a day's drive.

The Ontario Black History Society http://www.blackhistorysociety.ca/events.htm offers a variety of cultural and social events throughout the month. Mostly centered in Toronto, these activities include theatrical plays ("Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God" at DuMaurier Theatre Centre), exhibits ("Something to Hope For" about Buxton, Ontario's role in the Underground Railroad, at the Royal Ontario Museum) and lectures ("Researching Black Canada," Feb. 20, York University). The Ontario program also features concerts, storytelling and poetry readings.

Specifically, the City of Toronto is sponsoring a full month of scheduled events, titled "A Celebration of African History Month." It is not too late to enjoy performances and exhibits. "A Glimpse of Black Life in Victorian Toronto, 1850-1860," at MacKenzie House, "The Black Contribution to the Defense of Upper Canada" at Historic Fort York and "African-Canadians in Jazz, Blues, R & B: A Photo Exhibition" are a few of the ongoing events. A full schedule and description can be found at http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/blackhistory/events.htm.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is involved in a project to open up a national Underground Railroad Museum http://www.undergroundrailroad.org/ by 2004 in Cincinnati. Plans for exhibits already are being designed, not only to showcase the Underground Railroad and other anti-slavery efforts, but also to reflect on more contemporary examples of freedom struggles around the world. In addition to information about the Underground Railroad and the history of slavery in the United States, the Web site offers programs, lectures and seminars scheduled even prior to the museum's opening.

Finally, here at UB, Stephen L. Carter of Yale University will be this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration speaker on March 13. Information about Carter can be found on the Distinguished Speakers page http://wings.buffalo.edu/events/speakers.shtml#mlk. Ask a librarian for assistance to search for Black History Month events in The Buffalo News on LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic/1univ/aboutUniverse.htm.

—Nina Cascio and Rick McRae, University Libraries