Black History Month at Hunterdon County Library: Programs

African Icons

Ages 4 & up

Wednesday, February 22, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Celebrate Black History Month and learn about important Africans in history through crafts and fun activities. For ages 4 & up. Siblings welcome. Please register by clicking the name of the program above to be taken to the calendar.

HQ Movie Matinees

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Monday, February 6, 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Selma (2014, PG-13)  "Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant in certain areas, making it very difficult for Blacks to register to vote. In 1965, an Alabama city became the battleground in the fight for suffrage. Despite violent opposition, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, and their efforts culminated with President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Monday, February 13, 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Harriet (2019, PG-13) "From her escape from slavery through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad, the story of heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman is told."

Monday, February 27, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Buffalo Soldiers (1997, TV-14) "At the end of the Civil War, Washington Wyatt (Danny Glover) is liberated from slavery and signs up as a sergeant in the first all African-American U.S. Army unit. Once assigned to the unit, Wyatt realizes that both his commanding officer (Tom Bower) and his colonel (Bob Gunton) are racists. Tensions rise when Wyatt arrests Capt. Draper (Robert Knott) and several other Texas Rangers, all of whom are white."

NCB Movie Matinees

Please click the date and time to be taken to the calendar to register.

Wednesday, February 1, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Tuesday, February 21, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Wednesday, February 22, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

12 Years a Slave (2013, R) "In the years before the Civil War, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Subjected to the cruelty of one malevolent owner (Michael Fassbender), he also finds unexpected kindness from another, as he struggles continually to survive and maintain some of his dignity. Then in the 12th year of the disheartening ordeal, a chance meeting with an abolitionist from Canada changes Solomon's life forever."

Thursday, February 9, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Thursday, February 23, 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Tuesday, February 28, 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Green Book (2018, PG-13) "Dr Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) is a world-class African-American pianist, who is about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation."

Henry Beard, From Enslaved Man to Union Civil War Veteran

Friday, February 17, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

New Jersey State Library hosts a program surrounding the life of former enslaved Civil War veteran Henry Beard.  Henry Beard escaped enslavement to join the all-white regiment of the Union Army during the Civil War. Mr. Beard and his family continued to break barriers by becoming the first African American family in his small town in Illinois to voluntarily integrate the school system in the 1880s. This remarkable story of triumphing over adversity is one that continues to be recognized today in the form of the one room schoolhouse, North Grove School. North Grove School was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places, in part, due to the voluntary integration of the Beard family.

Please click the presentation title to register.

From Protest to President: A Social Justice Journey through the Emergence of Adult Education and the Birth of Distance Learning

Thursday, February 23, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

New Jersey State Library presents Dr. George Pruitt’s From Protest to President, which describes an inspirational odyssey of a young, Black activist coming of age in Mississippi and Chicago in the tumultuous 60s and 70s, culminating in a notable thirty-five year presidency at Thomas Edison State University.

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Black Arts History Visual Tour

Monday, February 27, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

In a lecture-style setting via Zoom, uncover hidden backstories and discover little known facts. From slavery and the Harlem Renaissance to the ongoing struggle for social justice, Black artists have used artistic expression as a means to explore the intricacies of Blackness and illustrate the lived experience of Black people in America. Join our art & culture expert as we explore the history behind past and modern art and examine the powerful ideas and messages behind these pieces.

❗Note: The subjects covered in this experience may be upsetting or triggering to some audiences, including issues relating to race, identity, gender, politics, and religion. With this in mind, it is important to our presenters to create a safe space to openly discuss, learn about, and reflect on these topics.

Please click the presentation title to register.