February Events
Saturday, Feb. 1,
African American Writer’s Night with Kwame Alexander.6-8:30 p.m. A celebration of African American writing and heritage. The program will be moderated by Kwame Alexander, poet, stage director, producer, editor, publisher, and CEO of BlackWords, Inc. The event features the works of E. Ethelbert Miller, Candace Poarch, Darrell J. Howard, Olu Woods, Stanley Austin and James Gitard. Copies of the authors‚ works will be available for purchase. Call 703-838-4356 for more information. 638 N. Alfred Street. Free admission.
Saturday, Feb. 8
Walking Tour: Hayti: An African American Legacy. 10a.m. - Noon. Join City Archaeologist Dr. Pamela Cressey for a two hour guided tour of Old Town Alexandria celebrating the City’s rich African American History. Reservations required. Call 703-838-4399 for information. Meets at Alexandria Archaeology, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street, #327. Free admission.
Book Discussion: Go on Girl!, Inc. Book Club. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Regular meeting-reading to be announced. Meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month. The club is a chapter of the national Go On Girl organization. Call 703-838-4356 for more information on the membership fee and responsibilities. 638 N. Alfred Street.
Family Health Workshop: “Move More, Eat Better.” 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. A workshop on health and nutrition for African American families. Conducted by Renee Ricketts, Health Educator with the Alexandria Health Department, this 90 minute workshop will discuss how small and consistent changes in diet and exercise can have a major effect on health. The workshop will examine ways that traditional African American foods can be made healthier with out affecting taste. The workshop will serve as a prelude to a special Alexandria Health Department program for African American women which will be launched at T.C. Williams High School on March 15, 2003. Call 703-838-4356 for more information. 638 N. Alfred Street. Free admission.
The Campagna Center Celebrates. 11 a.m., lunch at 12:30 p.m. The Campagna Center will celebrate Black History Month with a variety of musical and dance presentations. The program includes invited guest artists from Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria and music and dance groups from Alexandria’s Recreational Centers and Campagna Kids, the Center’s after-school program. For more information call 703-549-0111.
Saturday, Feb. 15
Workshop: Investment Club Seminars. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. - Beginners; 12:30 - 2 p.m. - Advanced. Two free workshops on investment clubs geared for beginners who want to start investment clubs and intermediate students who want to make the clubs they are in more profitable will be offered at the Alexandria Black History Resource Center. Hosted by Sheila Anderson For more information, call 703-838-4356. 638 N. Alfred Street. Free admission.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Workshop: African Fabric. 11 a.m. Learn about African Fabrics with fabric expert, designer and author, Ronke Luke Boone. Participants will learn the distinguishing characteristics of African produced fabric, as well as techniques for incorporating these fabrics in their homes and as clothing. Call 703-838-4356 for more information. 638 N. Alfred Street. Free.
Black History Month Story Time for Children. 2 p.m. A special storytime especially suited to elementary school-aged children and their featuring two books about the Underground Railroad and slave families‚ attempts to gain their freedom will be presented. “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt” by Deborah Hopkinson, and “Follow the Drinking Gourd” by Jeanette Winter, are illustrated and tell the story of how African Americans used a constellation (the Big Dipper) and contours of the land in quilt patterns to map out the path north to freedom. Forbidden to read or write or even to communicate openly with other enslaved blacks, slaves had to be resourceful in passing on information about escape routes. It will be followed by a brief discussion by Museum staff. This event is open to the general public. 4301 W. Braddock Rd. Call 703-838-4848 for more information. Free admission.
Fort Ward Museum Presents Special Storytime for Children
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site is observing Black History Month with a special storytime especially suited to elementary school-aged children and their families. Two books about the Underground Railroad and slave families‚ attempts to gain their freedom will be presented, along with a brief discussion by Museum staff. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson, and Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter, are illustrated and tell the story of how African Americans used a constellation (the Big Dipper) and contours of the land in quilt patterns to map out the path north to freedom. Forbidden to read or write or even to communicate openly with other enslaved blacks, slaves had to be resourceful in passing on information about escape routes. This event is open to the general public. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site is located at 4301 W. Braddock Road, Alexandria. There is no charge for this event. For more information, call Fort Ward Museum at 703-838-4848. – Feb. 22 2 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 23
Lecture/Food Tasting: NAACP’s Annual Lecture and Soul Food Tasting. 1-5 p.m. Join the members of the NAACP for the annual Black History Month lecture and soul food tasting. The featured guest speaker will discuss the national Black History Month theme, “The Souls of Black Folk.” Following the lecture, guests will sample a variety of African American traditional foods. 638 N. Alfred Street. Free admission.
February Exhibitions
Now-Feb. 4. Martin Luther King, Jr. Poster Contest Exhibition. Sponsored by the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage. 638 N. Alfred St.
Feb. 1-March 31. “A Century of Just Women: Northern Virginia’s African American Women.”** This exhibition examines what African American women of Northern Virginia did to change things in their community. These women were activists, religious and community leaders. Some of the women included in this exhibition are Miriam Bracey, Elizabeth Douglas, and Helen Anderson.
**This exhibition will be on view in the Vola Lawson Lobby of Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria.
Feb. 6-March 31. The Sunday Series: African American Images by Avis Fleming. The exhibition features 24 studio drawings of three African American models by Art League artist Avis Fleming. The works are executed in a variety of media including etchings, watercolor, water-soluble crayon, color pencil, ink washes, and pen and ink. Sponsored by the Alexandria Black History Resource Center and the District of Columbia Black History Celebration Committee. 638 N. Alfred Street.