Black History Month events in the community

There are plenty of ways to commemorate Black History Month this year. Listed below are a few ways in which you can make your celebration worthwhile and learn more black history.

-Montgomery College is sponsoring the Empowerment through Literacy lecture series to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. "Voices of the Experience" will be hosted by Joe Madison of "Mornings with Madison," airing on WOL-AM on Feb. 24 at 7:00 p.m.

The discussion will take place in the Theatre Arts Building on Montgomery College's Rockville Campus and will include panelists such as Nina Clarke (author of History of the Black Public Schools of Montgomery County Maryland, 1872-1961), Warrick Hill (author of Before Us Lies the Timber: The Segregated High School of Montgomery County, Maryland 1972-1960) and Doris Hickey and James Offord (both graduates of MCPS). Speakers will share their personal experiences with segregation in Montgomery County; after the discussion, those present are welcome to share their experiences and thoughts. The event is co-sponsored by Montgomery College, MCPS, Montgomery County African American Employees Association and Montgomery County Public Libraries. For more information on this event, call the Montgomery College's Office of Equity and Diversity at 301-279-5276.

-The Visions Cinema will be hosting a Black History Month Film and Discussion series every Thursday in February, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Two sessions will take place on Feb. 26, the first entitled "Soaring High in Every Way," which will last from 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the second entitled "Modern Urban Cinematic Trends," which will last from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, visit the site.

-The County Department of Park and Planning is sponsoring a bus tour titled "Historic Hot Spots in Maryland Impacted by Brown v. Board of Education: Educational Mobile Workshop" scheduled for Feb. 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. beginning at Lincoln High School. Participants will travel through Montgomery County by bus to historic black Rosenwald schools, integrated public schools and schools named for African Americans and schools impacted by the Brown decision. Call 301-251-2747 for more information.

-The annual Gospel Train Ride to Freedom Concert will be held on Feb. 29 at 5:00 p.m. at Joshua Ministries and will feature songs from local praise groups and poetry from local poets. For more information on the event, contact Anita Neal Powell at 301-251-2747 or e-mail her at lincolnparkhist@aol.com. Joshua Ministries is located on 111 Geneva Ave. in Silver Spring, MD.

-The Montgomery County Council and Montgomery County Historical Society produced a television show which focuses on slavery entitled "Paths to the Present: Montgomery County Stories" which will air on the County Cable Montgomery channel 6 through March 13. The series will feature interviews by historians including Anthony Cohen and Tina Clarke and will discuss slavery as it was in Montgomery County.

-The Sandy Spring Slave Museum is featuring displays of art and cultural artifacts at Lakeforest Mall throughout the month. The exhibit is located next to Lord & Taylor. For more information, visit the museum's website or call 301-384-0727.

For further events check your local community Gazette.

Black History Month Links
Black Facts Online lists the accomplishments of one African American on each day of the year. Check this site out to find out which African American made a difference in his/her community on your birthday.

Africanamericans.com is devoted to informing the public about the vital roles African Americans played in the history and culture of the United States. This page contains biographies of influential African Americans. Also, explore this website for links to complete biographies of African Americans who received medals for their contributions to society.

Black History Site focuses on the achievements of black Americans, and contains articles, news, headlines and links concerning African Americans and the race issue in America.

Biography.com provides drop-down menus of influential African American athletes, educators, entertainers, public officials, religious leaders, scientists, social reformers, writers and artists. The site also contains a photo gallery of black Americans.

Gale databases contains free resources to provide all the information needed to make Black History Month memorable. The site contains biographies of black Americans and features a timeline, weekly quizzes, and activities for people of all ages.