By Donald Gilpin

Throughout the year, but especially during the month of February, Princeton and the surrounding area offer an assortment of opportunities to engage with, learn about, and explore the rich history and culture of Black Americans.

Princeton University African American Studies Professor Imani Perry, in a recent interview with Jamie Saxon of the University’s Office of Communication, reflected on the origins of Black History Month and its meaning and importance today.   

Black History Month follows a tradition from the 19th and early 20th centuries set by Black teachers in the segregated South of commemorating significant people and events in Black history during the week of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays. “It was a gorgeous tradition that grew in defiance of the standard narrative in this country, which held that Black people had contributed nothing of value to human civilization,” said Perry.

Scholar and educator Carter Woodson began Negro History Week in 1926, and since 1976 every U.S. president has officially designated February as Black History Month.

“In 2022, we find ourselves in a period where there is a concerted effort to remove Black people from the history of this country and instead turn to a mythological depiction of the country,” Perry continued. “So, it’s absolutely clear that we still have to contest false histories that exclude the fabric of who has been here, and what happened. But also, telling a history of the resilience, and the social, political, and intellectual traditions, imagination, and events that grew among people who were kept out of full citizenship is important for envisioning how we continue to pursue justice.”

“Overcoming: Reflections on Struggle, Resilience, and Triumph,” an exhibit by Princeton artist, activist, and writer Rhinold Ponder, is being featured at the Arts Council of Princeton’s Paul Robeson Center for the Arts through March 5. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., Ponder’s mixed media paintings on display “provoke reflection of the resilience of Black people in a continuing struggle for recognition of their humanity and demand for human rights,” the ACP notes on its website, artscouncilofprinceton.org, where more information about Ponder and the exhibit is available.

At McCarter Theatre, a world premiere musical, Dreaming Zenzile, based on the life of Miriam Makeba, will be running for just six more performances, through Sunday, February 13. Written and performed by Somi Kakoma and directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, this production is ”an electrifying portrait of a revolutionary artist’s singular voice and vision,” according to the McCarter website. See mccarter.org for tickets and more information.

In addition to numerous items exploring Black history and culture in its regular collection, the Princeton Public Library (PPL) is offering special programs in the coming weeks to coincide with Black History Month. On February 10 at 7:15 p.m., this month’s Black Voices Book Group will discuss, virtually via Google Meet, the novel Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson.

“Black Activism, Then and Now” will be the subject of  a virtual discussion at 7 p.m. on February 15, featuring attorney Meena Jagannath, the Rev. Lukata Mjumbe, and scholar Shana L. Redmond in a conversation moderated by lawyer, writer, and organizer Derecka Purnell.

Additional Black History Month events at the PPL will include in-person screenings of Just Mercy on February 20; a video selection of the speeches of Malcolm X on February 21; the film Respect, about the life of Aretha Franklin, on February 25; and a February 24 talk by Eugene Smith about his new book, Back to the World: A Life After Jonestown. Smith lost his mother, wife, and infant son in the mass murder-suicide at Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978.

Visit princetonlibrary.org for more information and registration for the above events and to find a Black History Month resource guide.

Princeton University is hosting a number of virtual lectures, workshops, and other events in the coming weeks to celebrate Black History Month. Some are restricted to the University community, but many are not. See princeton.edu for further information on listings and registration. 

Investigating “the University’s involvement with the institution of slavery and ongoing legacies of institutional racism,” the Princeton and Slavery Project, completed in 2017, includes many essays, documents, and multimedia visualizations that explore the University and the town’s connections to slavery. See slavery.princeton.edu.

“Slavery at Morven” is the subject of an online exhibition sponsored by Morven Museum, examining the lives of the men, women, and children enslaved by the Stockton family at Morven. Visit morven.org/slavery-at-morven to see the exhibition.

Perry recommended several works of literature, film, and music for Black History Month, including Toni Morrison’s short story “Recitatif,” recently published as a stand-alone book; Kiese Laymon’s novel Long Division; Margaret Walkers’s poem “For My People”; the 1964 film Nothing but a Man; the artist Romare Bearden’s 1980 documentary about his life titled Bearden Plays Bearden; and Stevie Wonder’s 1976 double album Songs in the Key of Life. 

Black History Month events in Trenton include an exhibit on display through February 28 in the Trenton City Hall atrium at 319 East State Street, showcasing African American historic landmarks and inventions and several unsung heroes of Trenton; a visual tour through history conducted by Beverly Keese-Kelly on Friday, February 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the city hall atrium; an exhibit and discussion on “Africa and the Diaspora” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 11 and February 25, with Virginia Farquharson in the city hall atrium; and “Black History: A Celebration” presented by the Egun Omode Performing Arts Collective at the West Ward Recreation Center, 451 Prospect Street at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 18.

Artworks Trenton is celebrating Black History Month with a series of Saturday workshops, each starting at noon, including “Much More Than the Big 3” on February 12, about the unsung heroes of the fight for equity; “Youth Artivism” on February 19, exploring the basics of activism and art making; and “Family Ties Workshop” on February 26, investigating the importance of health and wellness in the family. See artworkstrenton.org for further information and registration.

The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum will be presenting two more virtual events to celebrate Black history this month: a “Cook-Along Food Demonstration” on how to make delicious African American dishes with Joanna Canady Brown from the Gingered Peach in Lawrenceville on February 16, and a video interview and oral history session with Sourland Mountain resident Evelyn Brooks on February 22 to celebrate her 101st birthday. Visit ssaamuseum.org for further information, times, and Zoom links.

For an in-depth exploration of “African American Life in Princeton,” take the Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour, featuring 40 different sites in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood and beyond, with explanations and photos provided for each site through the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP) website. See “Digital Tours” at princetonhistory.org.

Also available through the HSP website are a digital exhibition on “The Princeton Plan: 70 Years of School Integration,” a short documentary on The Princeton Plan: Fifty Years Later, and a recorded Princeton University lecture on “The Princeton Fugitive Slave: The Trials of James Collins Johnson.”

Another avenue to explore the history of the African American community in Princeton is the recently established Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society’s Heritage Plaques. Go to princetonwjhcs.org to take a self-guided tour, either virtual or in-person, of the neighborhood. See and celebrate the 29 churches, schools, organizations, establishments, and businesses celebrated on the plaques.