Under the baobab: Many ways to celebrate Black History Month in Happy Valley

“ ‘Let the children come! Let your mothers hear you laugh,’ she told them, and the woods rang. Then ‘Let the grown men come,’ she shouted. ‘Let your wives and your children see you dance,’ she told them, and groundlife shuddered under their feet. Finally she called the women to her. ‘Cry,’ she told them. ‘For the living and the dead. Just cry.’ And without covering their eyes the women let loose.” — Baby Suggs from Tony Morrison’s “Beloved”

Happy Black History Month.

Black History Month dates back to 1915, when Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History,” created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History to commemorate the golden anniversary of Black emancipation.

Locally, the celebrations began early on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as Prof. AnneMarie Mingo and the Martin Luther King Plaza Committee organized a Search for Legacy competition where contestants had to locate relevant diversity sites in State College. It included: 1) Capture a picture with the physical mark that honors King’s local visit in the ‘60s; 2) Where is the world-renowned collection of African American culture located locally? 3.) Where are the first Black woman assistant vice president at Penn State and the first Black principal “pictured” in State College? 4.) Where is the first Black full-time faculty member honored with a marker? 5.) Where do six steps for non-violent social change “stand tall” in downtown State College? 6.) When Penn State prevented Black male students from living in Penn State campus housing from 1930 to 1946, where did many of them stay, including Wally Triplett? 7.) The Borough of State College has elected only one African American to public office, where does that person work?

Amy Grubb led her team of four into first place. Each of them won $100 and tickets to cultural events donated by The State Theatre.

To kick off the start of Black History Month on Tuesday, the College of Arts and Architecture Arts Ambassadors will host painter and public artist Hamilton Glass and the Emmy-award winning documentarians, Pam and Todd Hervey and their feature documentary, “Mending Walls,” based on Hamilton’s work, at 7 p.m. in Recital Hall.

On Feb. 11, the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State is presenting “What Problem?” by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company at Eisenhower Auditorium. Twenty-five local community residents will participate.

Penn State Altoona, Penn State DuBois, Penn State Fayette-The Eberly Campus, and Penn State Greater Allegheny, along with Penn State Altoona’s Sarah Simonton Fund, the John and Ann Wolf Speaker Series, the Marjorie Wolf Kuhn Fund, and the Penn State Altoona Student Initiated Fee will be presenting a webinar, “A Conversation with Dr. Bernice A. King” at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22 via Zoom. King is an orator, peace advocate, and the chief executive officer of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, which was founded by her mother, Coretta Scott King.

On Feb. 24, the Palmer Museum in Art After Hours Program will be presenting “Black History at the Museum” from 5-8 p.m. at the museum.

The Racial Unity Network (RUN), Essence 2, and LAF Theatre Company will be presenting a benefit performance for the Pennsylvania Innocence Project of James Weldon Johnson’s “God’s Trombones” on Feb. 25, 7 p.m., at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Gray’s Woods. Admission is free.

On Saturday, Feb. 26, The State Theatre will be presenting a re-broadcast of Terrence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up In My Bones,” from New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Based on Charles Blow’s memoir, it was the Met’s first ever performance of an opera by a Black composer.

Leslie Laing and Terry Watson of the NAACP are compiling a “Moments in History” video for February that will include many of our neighbors presenting homages to historical African American heroes.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 6:00 AM.