Black History Month Events

January and February 2009

Events and Exhibits | Film Series

Events and Exhibits

2009 Juanita Ross Gray Community Service Award
Saturday, February 14, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Ford-Warren Branch Library
To honor the memory of Juanita Ross Gray, a former Denver Public Library Staff member and dedicated community advocate, the Ford-Warren Branch presents an award in her name to an outstanding individual annually.

When Hope Won: The Road to the White House Exhibit
Opens Saturday, January 10
Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, Level Two
The exhibit consists of memorabilia, photographs, paintings and more, highlighting Barack Obama's historic campaign, especially his time in Colorado. View photographs of the exhibit.

Me and the Dream – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Photo Exhibit
Opens Monday, January 12, press conference at 10 a.m.
Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 3000 East First Ave., Denver

20th Anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award
Tuesday, January 13, 6-9 p.m.
6 p.m.: Community Reception
7:30 p.m.: Colorado Symphony Orchestra and Awards Presentation
Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Center, Speer Blvd. and Arapahoe St., Denver
This event is free and open to the public but tickets are required and are available at the Central Library Information Desk, Level One.

Early Editions and Sequels, a Two-Part Exhibition of Sculpture and Discussions by Dr. Ella Maria Ray:

Early Editions: Artist Talk and Reception
Tuesday, February 3, 3-4:30 p.m.
Metropolitan State College of Denver, Auraria Library, 1100 Lawrence St., Denver

Sequels: The Process of Analyzing Black Women Writers Through Clay, Book Discussion
Tuesday, February 17, 6:30-8 p.m.
Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library

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Film Series: It’s Black Entertainment!

Join us for a Film Viewing & Light Refreshments.
February 3, 10, 17 and 24, 6-8 p.m., Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library

	Uptown Saturday Night Tuesday, February 3, 6 p.m., Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library Written by Richard Wesley and directed by Sidney Poitier, this 1974 comedy offers an occasional laugh with just a touch of suspense. Steve Jackson and Wardell Franklin sneak out of their houses to visit Madame Zenobia’s: a high-class but illegal nightclub. During their visit, however, the club is robbed and they are forced to hand over their wallets. Steve’s wallet turns out to have contained a winning lottery ticket and together they must recover their stolen property, and of course endure many funny obstacles along the way. Cast includes Harry Belafonte, Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Richard Pryor and Flip Wilson. Roscoe Lee Browne and Rosalind Cash also appear.
	A Raisin in the Sun Tuesday, February 10, 6 p.m., Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library Written by Lorraine Hansberry and directed by Daniel Petrie, this 1961 drama warms the screen with its people and its passion. Walter Lee Younger, (Sidney Poitier) is a young man struggling with his station in life. Sharing a tiny apartment with his wife, son, sister and mother, he seems like an imprisoned man. Until, that is, the family gets an unexpected financial windfall. Other cast members include Ruby Dee, Louis Gossett Jr., Claudia McNeil and Diana Sands. A Raisin in the Sun was nominated for 2 Golden Globe Awards, and won both the National Board of Review and Cannes Film Festival Awards.
	Sarafina! Tuesday, February 17, 6 p.m., Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library Written by Mbongeni Ngema and William Nicholson, and directed by Darrell Roodt, Sarafina, released in 1992, is classified as both a musical and a drama. It is a powerful moving film about the struggle of South African school kids for survival and freedom while dealing with apartheid. It is a story of determination, perseverance and courage against tremendous odds. It teaches us that good always triumphs against evil: that the oppressed will always fight back and die to regain their freedom and dignity. Cast includes Whoopi Goldberg, Miriam Makeba, John Kani, Dumisani Dlamini and Leleti Khumalo.
	The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Tuesday, February 24, 6 p.m., Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library Written by Ernest J. Gaines and Tracy Keenan Wynn, and directed by John Korty, this 1974 drama focuses on a lifetime of memories as told by Miss Jane Pittman, (Cicely Tyson) who has just turned 110. In February 1962, as the civil rights movement reaches Bayonne, Louisiana, a New York journalist arrives to interview Miss Pittman. Her story dates back to her earliest memories before slavery ended, and includes a long walk toward freedom, marriage to Joe Pittman, her adopted son Ned’s work as an educator, helping to raise Jimmy, who returns as a civil rights worker, and her own decision to become involved in contemporary issues. In between the chapters of her life, the present-day struggles of Blacks in Bayonne, urged on by Jimmy, are dramatized. Cast includes, Eric Brown, Arnold Wilkerson, Will Hare and Katherine Helmond.

Find books, links, history and more on our Black History Month page.

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