Metro Library (Oklahoma City) celebrates Black History Month in February
Published: January 29th, 2021
The Metropolitan Library system of Oklahoma City will host a range of Black History Month celebrations virtually during February 2021.
The City Sentinel is an independent, locally-owned newspaper based in Oklahoma City.
Darla Shelden is The City Sentinel's reporter. File Photo.
Darla Shelden, The City Sentinel
OKLAHOMA CITY– The Metropolitan Library System will celebrate Black History Month in February with diverse online library programs.
Renowned Black American poet Maya Angelou said, “I always felt, if I could get to a Library, I’ll be OK.”
Black History Month programs hosted by the Metro Library will include a dance performance on the history of Hip Hop dance from the R.A.C.E. Dance Collective, a performance by “Spiritually Bold” of the original play “Soldier Girl”, and an author visit with Tochi Onyebuchi who wrote the young adult series “Beasts Made of Night” and a new adult science fiction novel, “Riot Baby.” (Black History Month Link: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month).
Other Metro Library February Events (https://www.metrolibrary.org/events/month/2021/02?form_id=lc_calendar_upcoming_form&page=%2C1&program_type%5B137%5D=137) will include various story times, author talks and artist demos.
All online programs will be available to be viewed via the Metro Library’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/metrolibrary), with some events also available on Instagram or Zoom.
On Monday, Feb. 1, there will be an Intersectional Discussion Panel at 6:30 p.m. on the Library’s Facebook page.
Tuesday, Feb. 2 there will be a discussion at 6:30 p.m. of the Geneology of Freeman and Black Oklahomans with Geneologist Angela Walton-Raji (https://familytreewebinars.com/angelawaltonraji) via Zoom and Facebook.
Each Thursday in February, the Library will host Black Veterans Stories at 10 a.m. on Facebook and Instagram.
On Saturday, Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m., Meechie and Kids Urban Groovezz (https://www.facebook.com/MEECHIESMUSIC/?ref=page_internal ), a children’s reading and music series that celebrates and promotes positive images in urban children, will be featured on Facebook and Instagram.
A discussion with filmmaker Laron M. Chapman (https://twitter.com/thenameslaron?lang=en),
writer and director of the film “You People” (available on hoopla) will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. on Facebook.
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 9:30 a.m., the Library will feature an Online Storytime with Children’s Author Kimberly Anderson on Facebook & Instagram.
At 2 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 13, Inclusion in Art Live Demo with Local Artist Jasmine Jones will take place on Facebook.
Online Storytime will be available on Saturday, Feb. 13 and 27 at 9:30 a.m., on both Facebook and Instagram.
February 15 at 6:30 p.m., the event Quilting a History of Black Towns in Oklahoma will be held on Facebook.
A special Online Storytime with Ward 7 Oklahoma City Councilperson Nikki Nice will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 9:30 a.m., on Facebook & Instagram.
On Saturday, Feb. 20, at 10 a.m., there will be an Author Visit with Tochi Onyebuchi (https://www.metrolibrary.org/events/author-hour-conversation-tochi-onyebuchi) on Facebook
The Metro Library will present Author Hour: Celebrating Black History Month with Shakira Bourne, Dr. Mallika Grayson and Sarah Raughley [LINKs: https://www.shakirahbourne.com/, https://www.malikagrayson.com/, https://sarahraughley.com/] on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m., on Facebook.
The Spiritually Bold (https://www.metrolibrary.org/events/spiritually-bold-presents-soldier-girl-story-cathay-williams) performance group will present an original play, titled “Soldier Girl” on Monday, Feb. 22 at 6:30pm, on Facebook.
On Tuesday, Feb. 23, Online Storyline with Writer and Musician Demetrius ‘Meechie’ Gibson
(https://www.facebook.com/MEECHIESMUSIC/) will be held at 9:30 a.m. on both Facebook & Instagram.
A special RACE Dance Collective Performance can be seen on Saturday, Feb. 27 @ 2pm, Facebook. RACE (Radical Application of Creative Energy) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in Oklahoma City providing professional performances year-round and open classes weekly.
The Metropolitan Library System is a public library system serving Oklahoma County residents. MLS includes 19 library branch locations.
The Metropolitan Library System is the largest library system in Oklahoma, serving anyone who lives, attends school, or owns property in Oklahoma County. MLS circulates over 6 million materials each year.
To learn more about these and other Metropolitan Library Black History Month events, visit https://www.metrolibrary.org/blackhistorymonth.