February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of the diverse and rich history of African Americans. In honor of Black History Month, the Santa Barbara Public Library invites the community to celebrate by participating in a series of programs and resources that includes music education, storytelling, and book discussions.
Black History Celebration at Alameda Park Saturday, Feb. 26 offers the following:
10:30 a.m. — Chazz Ross offers an African Drum and International Drum experience featuring the djembe drum. Audience members will have the opportunity to play djembe drums as part of the drum circle that Ross will instruct and lead.
Ross will discuss the history and benefits of drumming. Drummers realize that the “heartbeat” is the universal unifying rhythm that is always present with them – they only have to look inside. For more about Ross, click here.
11:15 a.m. — Storyteller, Michael D. McCarty will present African-American and international folktales, historical tales, stories of science, spiritual stories, and stories of the brilliant and absurd things he has done in his life.
McCarty’s tales from Africa, and of African-Americans, depict the challenges and triumphs of black people throughout the history of the Americas to inform, educate, inspire, and amuse his audiences. Read more about McCarty here.
Storywalk
Storywalk is an activity in which a bilingual picture book is set up on signs along an outdoor path. Reading a story this way is a safe, consistent and welcome approach to promoting early literacy with children and caregivers. The library will be featuring Cedella Marley’s “One Love.”
Upcoming dates and locations:
Feb. 4, 10 a.m. at Oak Park
Feb. 9, 2 p.m. at Lower Manning Park
Feb. 11, 10 a.m. at Bohnett Park
Feb. 16, 10:15 a.m. at Alameda Park
Feb. 18, 10 a.m. at McKenzie Park
Feb. 22, 1:30 p.m. at Sunflower Park
Feb. 23, 2 p.m. at Carpinteria Children’s Project
Feb. 26, 10:30 a.m. at Alameda Park
Virtual Crime Book Club – 5 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 2
This month’s selection is “Blacktop Wasteland” by S.A. Cosby.
Virtual Fiction Book Club – 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8
This month’s selection is “The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.”
Virtual Indy Book Club – 6 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 23
This month’s selection is “Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body” by Roxane Gay
The library has also been collaborating with Black Culture House to offer adult programming, which will be rescheduled when public health conditions have improved.
Visit the Santa Barbara Public Library online at SBPLibrary.org for information about programs and services. All library programs are free and open to the public.