Black History Month online events with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Celebrate Black History with Fyütch
Tuesday, February 1st, 2022
4:30 to 5:15 p.m.
Ages 5-11

This program will be provided by Allegra Westbrook Regional library staff and special presenter, Fyütch.

Join us as we kick off Black History Month as we explore Black women in history with national recording artist, Fyütch. Engage your child with books, activities, and songs as we learn about the historical contributions of Black women. This program will be presented in celebration of Black History Month.

Equity Impact Circle
Wednesdays
1 to 2:30 p.m.
Adults

A weekly discussion series hosted by the Community Building Initiative. This 5-week series will be guided discussions around topics of equity and inclusion.

Colorful Perspectives: STEAM Career Showcase
Saturday, February 5th, 2022
10 to 11 a.m.
Adults and teens

Come hear from a diverse panel of professionals within Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) related fields. Event will include a facilitated discussion around their individual career paths, highlights of their current (and previous roles), and their lessons learned while navigating professionally as a person of color. This event is being sponsored in partnership with the Black Lives Matter Initiative of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Queen City Bytes.

Attendees will also be given an opportunity to ask specific questions during an open Q&A period. This virtual program will be shown through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s FB account as a live event. This event will be recorded.

I Can Read Black Stories
Saturdays
11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Children ages 0-5

Join us for a LIVE storytime from the comfort of your home!

Enjoy stories, songs, and movement activities that support empathy and understanding of issues affecting Black children and family. This storytime features books that center characters who are Black or people of color, offers strategies to foster conversations about equity and inclusivity, and encourages early literacy skill development and a love of books and reading in your child.

Harlem Unbound (Call of Cthulhu 7E)
Wednesday, February 9th, 2022
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Ages 12-18

Participate in a Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game set in early 20th century Harlem, NY. The players will put themselves in the shoes of Harlemites navigating day-to-day issues including racism, community, politics, nightlife, and Cosmic Horror.

Participants will learn about issues of race and community in Harlem in the early 20th century while enhancing problem solving skills, and reflecting on issues of race and community in modern day.

This RPG setting is meant to “shine a spotlight on the people of Harlem, their successes, and their struggles.” Through roleplaying, we can open discourse about recognizing, identifying, and fighting racism.

This program will be provided by Mint Hill library staff, and is recommended for teens ages 14 to 18.

Please register by two days before the event. You’ll receive an email with a link to the secure Roll20 campaign and Discord channel about 24 hours before the meeting.

Black History Month Talking Circle
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
6 to 7 p.m.
Preteens and teens

Join other teens in our community engage in discussions on topics such as racism, racial equity, and racial justice. During our time together we will learn more about racism, racial equity, and racial justice while working together to identify barriers and workable solutions to create an inclusive community.

Social Justice Book Club
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Adults

Join in the Third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. for the Social Justice Book Club! This month’s title is Make Good the Promises: Reclaiming Reconstruction and It’s Legacies, Edited by Kinshasha Conwill and Paul Gardullo, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Black History Month Virtual Celebration: Examining Black Wealth with Dr. Shante Williams
Saturday, February 19th, 2022
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Adults

Dr. Shante is the author of Black Angels Among Us and Black Angels: The Wealth Edition. She is the CEO of Black Pearl Global Investments, a $25 million capital fund, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce. As a venture capitalist and Fintech founder of STEALTH Mode, Dr. Shante will identify critical areas of wealth gaps in the Black community and ways to close that gap by becoming an investor, creating generational wealth, and having multiple income streams.

Black History Month Virtual Celebration: Art Rocks
Saturday, February 19th, 2022
2 to 3 p.m.
Preteens and teens

Explore books and stories in creative ways through interactive activities including math, science, games, and more! This February, for Black History Month, the theme will be collages as we explore the life and work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Art kits will be available on 2/11 for this program.

Parent Lunch & Learn and Panel Discussion: How to Talk About Race with Kids
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022
12 to 12 p.m.
Adults

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Outreach Specialists Jasmine McNeil and Amrita Patel will be joined by Donna Tarney, Outreach Coordinator at The Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice, and Janet Goretti, Adult Services Librarian, for a meaningful Parent Lunch and Learn and Panel Discussion on “How to Talk About Race with Kids.” Learn significant terminology to share with your child as well as strategies for creating inclusive and meaningful conversations with children at home.