Food for the Soul/Inside Scoop with Alexis Pauline Gumbs
2023-11-01 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, 1212 W. Nevada St., Urbana, IL, 61801
Alexis Pauline Gumbs is a Queer Black Troublemaker and Black Feminist Love Evangelist and an aspirational cousin to all sentient beings. Her work in this lifetime is to facilitate infinite, unstoppable ancestral love in practice. Her poetic work in response to the needs of her cherished communities have held space for multitudes in mourning and movement. Alexis’s co-edited volume of Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front Lines (PM Press, 2016) has shifted the conversation on mothering, parenting and queer transformation. Alexis has transformed the scope of intellectual, creative and oracular writing with her triptych of experimental works published by Duke University Press (Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugitivity in 2016, M Archive: After the End of the World in 2018 and Dub: Finding Ceremony forthcoming in 2020.) Unlike most academic texts, Alexis’s work has inspired artists across form to create dance works, installation work, paintings, processionals, divination practices, operas, quilts and more.
Alexis is the founder of Brilliance Remastered, an online network and series of retreats and online intensives serving community accountable intellectuals and artists in the legacies of Audre Lorde’s profound statement in “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” that the preceding statement is “only threatening to those…who still think of the master’s house as their only source of support.” Through retreats on ancestor accountable intellectual practice, and online courses on topics from anger as a resource to transnational intellectual solidarity Alexis and her Brilliance Remastered collaborators have nurtured a community of thinkers and artists grounded in the resources that normative institutions ignore.
All of Alexis’s work is grounded in a community building ethic and would not be possible without her communities of accountability in Durham, NC the broader US Southeast and the global south. As a co-founder member of UBUNTU A Women of Color Survivor-Led Coalition to End Gendered Violence, Warrior Healers Organizing Trust and Earthseed Land Collective in Durham, NC, a member of the first visioning council of Kindred Southern Healing Justice Network and a participant in Southerners on New Ground, Allied Media Projects, Black Women’s Blueprint and the International Black Youth Summit for more than a decade she brings a passion for the issues that impact oppressed communities and an intimate knowledge of the resilience of movements led by Black, indigenous, working class women and queer people of color. Her writing in key movement periodicals such as Make/Shift, Left Turn, The Abolitionist, Ms. Magazine, and the collections Abolition Now, The Revolution Starts at Home, Dear Sister and the Transformative Justice Reader have offered clarity and inspiration to generations of activists.
Alexis’s work with her primary collaborator Sangodare has shown the world a Queer Black Feminist Love Ethic in practice. Over the past 11 years they have nurtured the Mobile Homecoming Project, an experiential archive amplifying generations of Black LGBTQ Brilliance which has consisted of listening tour of the United States (in a 1988 Winnebago!) 7 intergenerational retreats and pilgrimages in the Southeast US, a media and audio archive of many Black Feminist LGBTQ elders and is now in the land stewardship phase of building a living library and archive that serves as an all ages independent and assisted living community of intergenerational learning and love. Sangodare and Alexis are also the co-founders of Black Feminist Film School, an initiative to screen, study and produce films with a Black feminist ethic. Sangodare and Alexis have also collaborated on the exhibition Breathing Back at the Carrack Gallery in Durham, NC and more than 50 visits to campuses, organizations and conferences in the United States.

Piloting Archival Processing: Insights from the Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) Archive (Webinar)
2023-11-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
Archivist Steven Booth joins the RBML virtually to discuss the Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) archive: acquired in 2019 by a consortium of philanthropic and cultural heritage organizations, the Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) Archive is co-owned by the Getty Research Institute (GRI) and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Dating from 1942, when John H. and Eunice W. Johnson founded JPC, to the 21st century, the Archive contains over 4.5 million photographs of published and unpublished works documenting the Black experience, many of which were taken by staff photographers and featured in JPC’s 12 publications, most notably Jet and Ebony. In addition to the historically significant events and behind-the-scenes moments depicted, the Archive presents an unmatched and unique record of many facets of the life, work, and contributions of Black individuals, communities, groups, organizations, and businesses. In preparation for full-scale archival processing, archivists from the GRI and JPC project staff conducted a two-part pilot to test and evaluate the efficiency of the processing guidelines, workflows, and tools developed for rehousing and cataloging the photographs. This presentation will provide insight into the planning, preparation, and implementation of the JPC Archive processing pilot and offer lessons learned for cultural heritage professionals and the community to consider when working with large-scale archival collections.
Steven D. Booth (he/him) is an archivist, independent researcher, and co-founder of The Blacktivists. He is currently the archivist of the Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) Archive at the Getty Research Institute. He has been an active member of SAA since 2008 and was named an SAA Fellow in 2022.
Register for this webinar here: https://illinois.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u5eswrMLRkuoWEi-Skb-ZQ#/registration

16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series — Voices of Our Past: Ann Bradford Stokes
2023-11-19 14:00 - 15:00 | Museum of the Grand Prairie, 950 N. Lombard St., Mahomet, IL, 61853
Museum of the Grand Prairie, Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, 2 p.m.
Join us as history comes to life with another event in the 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series! The theme of this year’s series is “Voices of Our Past” and will feature first-person interpretations of African-American voices present during the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. Ann Bradford Stokes worked aboard the Navy’s first Hospital Ship “Red Rover” of Mound City, Illinois. She worked with sick and wounded soldiers aboard the United States Naval Hospital Ship throughout the Western Theater of the Civil War on both the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries. She volunteered with the Sisters of the Holy Cross and Naval ship officers working as “first class boy,” cook, laundress, mender- anything to get food to eat. Eventually, Ann assumed the role of a nurse, leading to the beginning of a profession that would last generations. She was the first woman to earn a pension for her work with the U.S.N. Red Rover. After 18 months as an African American Civil War nurse, she left service in November 1864. Several years later, Ann learned to read and write. She settled, remarried, and remained in Southern Illinois for the rest of her life. In a fascinating reenactment, Marlene Rivero will breathe life back into Ann Bradford Stokes story, captivating audiences and informing new learners. FREE. For more info: (217) 586-2612 or pcain@ccfpd.org.
Website Event Listing – Ann Bradford Stokes
Facebook Event Listing – Ann Bradford Stokes

16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series — Voices of Our Past: Sojourner Truth
2023-12-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Museum of the Grand Prairie, 950 N. Lombard St., Mahomet, IL, 61853
Come join us and see history come to life with our final event in the 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series! The theme of this year’s series is “Voices of Our Past” and will feature first-person interpretations of African-American voices present during the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. Isabella Baumfree, better known as Sojourner Truth, was a prominent abolitionist and activist for African-American and women’s rights. Born into slavery, Truth would endure a rough upbringing before escaping slavery with her infant daughter for a life of freedom in 1826. Becoming a traveling preacher, she would work with other abolitionists such as Frederick Douglas and William Lloyd Garrison. Truth would go on to give many influential speeches against slavery and would also speak out for women’s rights. During the Civil War, she urged young black men to join the Union and also supplied necessities for black troops. Her efforts during the war earned her an invitation from Abraham Lincoln to the White House. Although she was unable to read or write, Truth successfully sued a white man, collaborated with the Freedmen’s Bureau, and inspired millions during her lifetime. Learn about this important figure in US history as Patricia Davis, first-person interpreter, brings Sojourner Truth to life with an engaging and interactive presentation portraying the notable African-American abolitionist and activist.
FREE. For more info: (217) 586-2612 or jbien@ccfpd.org.

Book Club: Dark Princess by W. E. B. Du Bois (October 9–December 11)
2023-12-11 12:00 | Champaign Public Library – Douglass Branch, 504 E. Grove St., Champaign, IL, 61820
Join the Humanities Research Institute as book club members read Dark Princess, W. E. B. Du Bois’ 1928 novel about an African American medical student’s and an Indian Princess’ struggle for freedom. Free books available! To participate, register her by November 5: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/408766198
Meeting time: Mondays at 6:00–7:00 P.M., October 9–December 11
Location: Douglass Branch Library – Douglass Meeting Room, 504 East Grove St., Champaign
Questions: Contact Divya at divyan@illinois.edu
Led by Divya Nair and sponsored by the Humanities Research Institute and Mellon Foundation.

BIPOC Artist Meet-Up
2023-12-13 18:00 - 21:00 | Gallery Art Bar, 119 W. Main St., Urbana, IL
Urbana Arts & Culture and The College of Fine and Applied Arts invite all Champaign-Urbana BIPOC artists, creatives, makers, storytellers, and cultural bearers to connect and unwind with an evening of togetherness at Gallery Art Bar in Downtown Urbana.
Join hosts Carolyn and Vivian from The College of Fine and Applied Arts and the Urbana Arts & Culture Program for the kick-off event of the newly formed CU BIPOC Artist Collective. Local creatives who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color are invited to connect with others, enjoy refreshments and discuss the future of the BIPOC artist community in Champaign-Urbana. The event will take place at Gallery Art Bar located on Main Street in downtown Urbana. Goodie bags will be available for the first 40 guests who arrive!
December’s event will be the first scheduled of quarterly gatherings for the collective.
This event is co-sponsored by the City of Urbana’s Arts & Culture Program and the University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts.

THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG
2023-12-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Virginia Theatre, 203 W. Park Ave., Champaign, IL, 61820
In this special presentation by Illinois Public Media, watch the second hour of the acclaimed four-hour documentary series THE BLACK CHURCH, followed by a live performance of gospel music and a post-film discussion panel with local Black preachers plus an audience Q & A.

For many, it’s their house of worship. For some, it is an engine for social justice. For others, it’s a place of transcendent cultural gifts exported to the world, from the soulful voices of preachers and congregants to the sublime sounds of gospel music. For the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., going to church in America also was “the most segregated hour” of the week.
Executive Producer, Host, and Writer Henry Louis Gates, Jr. traces how this came to be in the 400 year-old story of the Black church in America, all the way down to its bedrock role as the site of African American survival and endurance, grace and resilience, thriving and testifying, freedom and independence, solidarity and speaking truth to power.
It reveals how Black people have worshipped, and through their spiritual journeys, improvised ways to bring their faith traditions from Africa to the New World, while translating them into a form of Christianity that was not only truly their own but a redemptive force for a nation whose original sin was found in their ancestors’ enslavement across the Middle Passage.
THE ARTHOUSE EXPERIENCE FILM SERIES

Presented by Illinois Public Media | Hosted by Kimberlie Kranich

Rated PG-13
60 Min

Martin Luther King, Jr. Countywide Celebration
2024-01-14 17:00 - 21:00 | Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801
Martin Luther King, Jr. Countywide Celebration

January 14, 2024 – 5:00 pm
Martin Luther King Jr.
at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana 61801
Doors open at 4:00pm
Community Choir begins TBD
Featured Keynote Speaker – Rev. BJ Tatum
​
During the ceremony, three community members will be honored with prestigious awards in recognition of their work to uphold the principles and ideals of Dr. King, including:

Doris Hoskins Prestigious Community Service Award

James R. Burgess, Jr. – Susan Freiburg Humanitarian Award

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Outstanding Achievement Award

Unity Breakfast
January 15, 2024
Vineyard Church of Central Illinois
1500 N. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61801
Event begins at 8:30 AM

Passing: Film at the Virginia Theatre
2024-01-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Virginia Theatre, 203 W. Park Ave., Champaign, IL, 61820
THE ARTHOUSE EXPERIENCE FILM SERIES

Rated PG-13
98 Min
Presented by Illinois Public Media, home of WILL-TV, WILL-AM, and WILL-FM.
In 1920s New York City, a black woman finds her world up-ended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who’s passing as white.
Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut is a powerful drama that brings Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel of the same name to the screen.

For tickets, visit the Virginia Theatre’s website here: https://thevirginia.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=900

THE ARTHOUSE EXPERIENCE Film Series
Described as limited-release, high-quality titles that have captured the imagination of movie lovers, the Virginia Theatre’s Arthouse Experience Film Series is programmed by special guest curator Sanford Hess.
The movies that Mr. Hess selects—a mix of award-winners, Ebertfest favorites, and recent classics—are presented one Friday each month on the Virginia’s 52-foot wide movie screen, with state-of-the-art surround sound.
Each film will be followed by a post-show discussion and in some cases an on-stage talk by directors, producers, and other special guests.

KAM Spring 2024 Opening Night: Jen Everett
2024-02-01 17:00 - 19:00 | Krannert Art Museum, 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign, Illinois, 61820
Opening Events
5:30 pm | Conversation with the artist Jen Everett and curators Blair Ebony Smith and Amy L. Powell in the Link Gallery
6 pm | Collage workshop with Siobhan McKissic, Visiting Design & Materials Research Librarian, Ricker Library of Architecture and Art in the KAM cafe
6:15 pm | DJ set with DJ lovenloops begins in the Link Gallery
About Jen Everett: Could you dim the lights?
Artist and educator Jen Everett collects everyday photographs of Black life in the United States sourced from thrift stores and generations of images from her Midwestern and Southern family. She uses digital and analog mediums to reconfigure and recombine the images that attract her, by doubling or tripling a photograph, by isolating and amplifying a detail, or by collaging and piling up to create an effect of abundance.
Throughout her process, Jen Everett remixes images of herself in conversation with the materials she collects to talk about Black life, kinship, and collective gathering. Could you dim the lights? is her first solo museum presentation.

The Black Joy Project
2024-02-02 - 2024-12-01 | Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL
Running from February 2 through December 1, 2024, the Black Joy Project aims to make an unprecedented celebration of Black JOY visible in our communities and museum spaces. The project celebrates the beauty, joy, and resilience of Black women and girls and their lived experiences during COVID-19 and the social unrest after the brutal deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others. During 2024, public events will carry the project’s themes into performances, workshops, talks, and other programs with an exciting variety of artists and experts. The project will grow and build joy throughout the year.
Throughout the run of the project, the community can expect events that underscore resilience and healing through food, performance, crafting, music, and much more. Conversations around self-care and cooking lead into wellness activities and programs encouraging participants to add to the project’s museum display. Programs include a Black business expo (February) to connect local Black business owners with the community and to discuss ideas around growing Black wealth; a multi-day workshop (June) for community members to create their own Book of Life, inspired by PBS’s hit TV show Finding Your Roots; and a back to school evening (August) for students to learn about and receive materials to incorporate the Samaritan’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness(external link).
About the Curators
Dr. Ruby Mendenhall is a professor in Sociology and African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is the Associate Dean for Diversity and Democratization of Health Innovation of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Her research looks at how gun violence affects Black mothers’ mental and physical health. She is currently directing the Nobel Project, which provides students from marginalized groups unprecedented access to experiences and mentors in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. She recently trained close to 50 high school and young adults to be Community Health Workers and Citizen/Community Scientists. She is also developing Wellness Stores/Spaces in schools and other locations in communities.
Florence Adibu is a Research Scientist at Carle Illinois College of Medicine. She infuses her work with a deep understanding of intercultural learning, Afrofuturism, and community healing. She inspires students to become Global Ambassadors, passionately addressing the intersection of innovation, inequity, and knowledge. Florence is a vocal advocate for Black women and girls, leveraging oral storytelling to speak truth to power in her teaching and writing.
Supported by:

Dr. Allan C. and Marlene S. Campbell Endowment Fund
Richard J. and Barbara S. Faletti Gallery of African Cultures Fund
Donald W. and Dorothy Berkey White Endowment Fund
Norman E. Whitten Spurlock Graduate Assistant Fund
Spurlock Museum Educational Endowment Fund
Spurlock Museum Guild Museum Fund
Girls Like Me Inc.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
President’s Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts and Humanities
National Science Foundation
Illinois Arts Council Agency

The Black Joy Project: Public Launch Celebration
2024-02-02 16:00 - 18:00 | Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL
The Black Joy Project launches February 2 with a celebratory reception of performance, food, and fellowship.
About the Project
The Black Joy Project aims to make an unprecedented celebration of Black JOY visible in our communities and museum spaces. The project celebrates the beauty, joy, and resilience of Black women and girls and their lived experiences during COVID-19 and the social unrest after the brutal deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others. During 2024, public events will carry the project’s themes into performances, workshops, talks, and other programs with an exciting variety of artists and experts. The project will grow and build joy throughout the year.
Throughout the run of the project, the community can expect events that underscore resilience and healing through food, performance, crafting, music, and much more. Conversations around self-care and cooking lead into wellness activities and programs encouraging participants to add to the project’s museum display. Programs include a Black business expo (February) to connect local Black business owners with the community and to discuss ideas around growing Black wealth; a multi-day workshop (June) for community members to create their own Book of Life, inspired by PBS’s hit TV show Finding Your Roots; and a back to school evening (August) for students to learn about and receive materials to incorporate the Samaritan’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness(external link).
Supported by:

Dr. Allan C. and Marlene S. Campbell Endowment Fund
Richard J. and Barbara S. Faletti Gallery of African Cultures Fund
Donald W. and Dorothy Berkey White Endowment Fund
Norman E. Whitten Spurlock Graduate Assistant Fund
Spurlock Museum Educational Endowment Fund
Spurlock Museum Guild Museum Fund
Girls Like Me Inc.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
President’s Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts and Humanities
National Science Foundation
Illinois Arts Council Agency

This program is partially sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Bethel A.M.E. Church: National African American Read-In
2024-02-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Bethel A.M.E. Church, 401 E. Park Street, Champaign, IL, 61820
Join the Bethel A.M.E. Church by reading excerpts from the works of your favorite Black writers!
Sunday, February 4, at 2:00 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church (401 E. Park Street, Champaign, IL 61820).

DIY Kids │ Black History Bingo
2024-02-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Champaign Public Library – Douglass Branch, 504 E. Grove St., Champaign, IL, 61820
Learn about famous people, places, and events in Black History by making your own bingo card and playing together at our weekly do-it-yourself activity for kids.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIY Kids! | February 2024
Wednesdays, 4:00 pm
For more information, visit: https://champaign.org/event/diy-kids-black-history-bingo-9361427

Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad
2024-02-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
Join Connie Martin to learn about pre-Civil War quilts, and the secrets they held. This event will be held on Zoom.

Join Connie Martin as she tells the stories passed down to her great-grandmother Lizzie of how her family survived the antebellum period through trials and tribulations, and how they used quilts that contained hidden codes and secret messages to assist abolitionists–white and Black–to guide enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad to Canada.
During this presentation, Connie shares eighteen different quilt patterns in replica quilts and refers to a book her mother, Dr. Clarice Boswell, wrote about their family called Lizzie’s Story: A Slave Family’s Journey to Freedom.
Connie Martin, MA, is a retired teacher and popular veteran fitness instructor. As a Road Scholar, she provides historical education through engaging live presentations to create awareness, growth, and inspiration for Illinois communities.
This event is co-sponsored by the Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Speaker Bureau.

The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you need an accommodation to attend a program, please let the Library know at least two weeks in advance. To request an accommodation, contact the Programming and Outreach Manager via email at programming@urbanafree.org or via phone at 217-367-4057.
For more information, visit: https://urbanafreelibrary.libnet.info/event/9513068

Krannert Center Uncorked with Dexter O'Neal and the Funk Yard
2024-02-08 17:00 - 19:00 | Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801
Presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month.
Dexter O’Neal is what happens when you add mesmerizing stage performances and a soulful sound. A Louisiana-born, Illinois-raised stick of dynamite! Dexter’s musical stylings have roots in gospel, blues, r&b, and early jazz traditions. He is the frontman of the number one funk band in the Midwest, Dexter O’Neal and The Funk Yard. Dexter is pure excitement and an explosive talent. Come prepared for an amazing experience.

Black History Spotlight | Focus on STEM
2024-02-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Urbana Free Library, 201 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801
NAACP Champaign County invites you to the Urbana Free Library for soul food dinner, inspiration, motivation, black history information, trivia and prizes.
Students please bring photos & bios. (If you don’t have them, we will work on bios and take photos during the session)
Be ready to make selections for competition areas.
New applications will be available to complete – Special prizes for students who bring an ACTSO recruit!

THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN
2024-02-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Virginia Theatre, 203 W. Park Ave., Champaign, IL, 61820
THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN features 15 power vocalists accompanied by a six-piece band that sends you on a journey through Motown’s best, including: The Temptations, The Jackson Five, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson and more!
The show’s pitch-perfect harmonies, dynamic choreography, and costuming perfectly capture the sights and sound of Motown.

Presented by Moxie Events.

To purchase tickets, please visit: https://thevirginia.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=909

FEATURING WINE AND BEER SERVICE IN OUR EAST LOBBY
The Champaign Park District is proud to welcome Farren’s Pub & Eatery to MAGIC OF MOTOWN here at the Virginia Theatre.
You’ll find Farren’s set up in the theatre’s eastern lobby before the show and at intermission (where available), serving a selection of fine wines and craft beers.
From cabernet to chardonnay, Sam Adams to Sierra Nevada, the skilled servers from Farren’s always bring the perfect selection to complement your Virginia Theatre experience! Both cash and credit cards accepted.

Music with Banks, Bridgewater, & Lewis Fine Arts Academy
2024-02-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Urbana Free Library, 201 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801
Join The Urbana Free Library for a celebration of blues, jazz, gospel, Rhythm & Blues, and soul music with young musicians from the Banks, Bridgewater & Lewis Fine Arts Academy!

The mission of the Banks, Bridgewater & Lewis (BBL) Fine Arts Academy is to enhance the musical knowledge base of young musicians by providing meaningful supplementary curriculum utilizing the genres of blues, jazz, gospel, Rhythm & Blues, and soul in order to participate in and contribute successfully to their respective school ensemble. BBL began in 2005 when two Black church programs combined to serve children of the community. Students from local schools and home school programs participate in our Saturday ensemble to further their musical development.

The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you need an accommodation to attend a program, please let the Library know at least two weeks in advance. To request an accommodation, contact the Programming and Outreach Manager via email at programming@urbanafree.org or via phone at 217-367-4057.

Black Love Day Celebration
2024-02-10 12:00 - 17:00 | Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway, Suite 100, Urbana, IL, 61801
This free event will include self-care services, lunch will be provided and an open mic will be facilitated.

For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-love-day-celebration-tickets-772582825027

Storytime & a Craft Celebrating Black History Month
2024-02-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Tolono Public Library District, 111 E. Main St., Tolono
Come to the Library for a storytime and craft celebrating Black culture, accomplishments, and joy.

Recommended Ages: 0-5

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/278802411443465/

Krannert Center Uncorked with Soft Spoken
2024-02-15 17:00 - 19:00 | Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801
Presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month.
Bloomington based Soft Spoken covers a lot of musical territory: jazz, funk, R&B, soul, and blues, with the smooth jazz filter set on high. With Gary Muhammad, lead guitar/vocals; Mike Gardner, keys/bass/vocals; Myra Johnson, percussion; AJ Chinnery, drums; Kenny Johnson, bass guitar; and featuring lead vocalist Jamika Russell.

The Story of the 370th Infantry Unit and Its Impact on Champaign County
2024-02-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Urbana Free Library, 201 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801
Dr. Barbara Suggs Mason and Angela Rivers of the African American Heritage Trail explore the 370th Infantry and Legion Post 559.

The 370th Infantry Regiment was an all-Black unit that fought during World War 1. While the unit was headquartered in Chicago, it grew out of the 8th Infantry Regiment of the Illinois National Guard and drew soldiers from throughout central Illinois, including Champaign County. Fighting with the French Army because American troops would not fight with African Americans, 71 of its men were awarded the French Croix de Guerre. Come hear more about this important fighting unit, the local men who fought with it, and their community contributions after the war.
Register to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-story-of-the-370th-infantry-unit-and-its-impact-on-champaign-county-tickets-810829913097?aff=oddtdtcreator

GOSPEL: WHERE SONG AND SERMON MEET
2024-02-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Virginia Theatre, 203 W. Park Ave., Champaign, IL, 61820
THE ARTHOUSE EXPERIENCE FILM SERIES

Rated N/R
60 min (approx.)
From the blues to hip hop, African Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century. Musical styles come and go, but there’s one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage, and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday.
GOSPEL, the latest history series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song.
Explore the history of Black gospel music, coming out of slavery, blending with the blues tradition, and soaring to new heights during the Great Migration. From Mahalia to Kirk Franklin, in the last century, gospel music has become the dominant form of African American religious expression and provided a soundtrack of healing and uplift to those at the front lines of protest and change.

THE ARTHOUSE EXPERIENCE Film Series
Described as limited-release, high-quality titles that have captured the imagination of movie lovers, the Virginia Theatre’s Arthouse Experience Film Series is programmed by special guest curator Sanford Hess.
The movies that Mr. Hess selects—a mix of award-winners, Ebertfest favorites, and recent classics—are presented one Friday each month on the Virginia’s 52-foot wide movie screen, with state-of-the-art surround sound.
Each film will be followed by a post-show discussion and in some cases an on-stage talk by directors, producers, and other special guests. Presented by Illinois Public Media, home of WILL-TV, WILL-AM, and WILL-FM.

Everybody's Got a Story
2024-02-18 13:30 - 16:00 | Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL
Everybody has stories to tell, and we’d love to hear yours. In connection with the ongoing Black Joy Project at the Spurlock Museum, we invite members of the community to share memories, legendary tales from family or friend groups, important moments…anything you wish to share or think others might like to hear. No age restrictions! Have you ever heard a 4-year-old tell a story? We have, and it’s fantastic.
Can I attend if I’m not Black? Of course! However, we especially encourage women and girls from our Black and African American communities to attend and share at this event, as the Black Joy Project is a space dedicated to the celebration of their voices. We encourage other attendees to mindfully engage by listening and celebrating with us.
What happens at the Spurlock stays at the Spurlock: Your stories are yours, and we will not record or share them outside of this event.
This program is partially sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

UFLive! presents Reginald Lewis and Friends
2024-02-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Urbana Free Library, 201 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801
Live music celebration of Black History Month.

Reginald Lewis & Friends is a dynamic jazz ensemble led by saxophonist Reginald Lewis. Inspired by Philadelphia’s vibrant jazz scene, the group pays homage to the city’s rich musical heritage while infusing their performances with a fresh and contemporary approach.
Reginald Lewis is a composer, educator, and musician, and he is the grandson of the legendary Philadelphia jazz musician Bootsie Barnes. Inspired by his grandfather’s virtuosity and contributions to the genre, he embarked on a musical journey to honor and preserve that heritage. In the spirit of his grandfather, Reginald Lewis and Friends represent a new generation of jazz musicians who are carrying the torch of this cherished art form, delighting audiences, and preserving the essence of jazz for generations to come. Come celebrate Black History Month at this special performance.

The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you need an accommodation to attend a program, please let the Library know at least two weeks in advance. To request an accommodation, contact the Programming and Outreach Manager via email at programming@urbanafree.org or via phone at 217-367-4057.
For more information, visit: https://urbanafreelibrary.libnet.info/event/9648856

Willie Summerville: A Life of Music, Faith, and Service
2024-02-21 10:00 - 2024-02-29 17:00 | Sousa Archives & Center for American Music, 1103 S 6th St, Champaign, IL, 61820
The Sousa Archives exhibit, “Willie Summerville: A Life of Music, Faith, and Service” opened at the School of Music lobby. In Kathya Alexander’s 2017 memorial essay to William “Willie” Thomas Summerville (1944-2017), she describes him as Urbana-Champaign-University of Illinois’ unique musical and spiritual force who brought people together through song and service to the community. She wrote,
Mr. Summerville graduated from the University of Illinois in 1967 with a Master’s degree in music education. He played tuba with the Marching Illini. His first job was with Champaign Public Schools until 1970 when he became the Choral Music Director of the Middle School 8th Grade Chorus in Urbana Unified Schools. He was also the Director of the Urbana High School Concert Choir. He took that choir to Rome to sing at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in 1999. In 2002, he took the Urbana High School Choir to NYC where they sang at Riverside Church and Carnegie Hall. He was a founding member of Canaan Missionary Baptist Church and a charter member of the Deacon Board and treasurer of the Canaan Development Foundation…Mr. Summerville was born in Sunshine, Arkansas on August 17, 1944. He was the son of Moses and Lenora, the middle child of four sisters. He was married to his wife, Valerian Alexander Summerville for 48 years.
Thanks to the generosity of the Summerville family the Willie T. Summerville and Summerville Family Papers are preserved at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music. This collection and our new exhibit documents Willie’s career as music educator for the Urbana public school system and deacon, treasurer and music minister for the Canaan Baptist Church, and highlights his extraordinary service to our local community through music. For further information about this new exhibit honoring Black History Month call 217-333-4577 or email schwrtzs@illinois.edu.

Krannert Center Uncorked with Haki N' Dem
2024-02-22 17:00 - 19:00 | Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801
Presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month.
Haki N’ Dem (Demonstrators) is an exceptional R&B/soul group hailing from Champaign-Urbana and Chicago, led by the immensely talented young musician Haki (Drake Materre), who not only dazzles with his incredible vocals but also showcases his mastery of multiple instruments. Alongside Haki, Haki N’ Dem features piano, vocals, bass, drums, trumpet, saxophone, and guitar, delivering a funky, neo-soul experience reminiscent of the legendary of influences of Prince, Earth Wind and Fire, and Sly and the Family Stone. Featuring political and social elements, Haki N’ Dem creates and performs a wide variety of music that encapsulates themes such as race, love, addiction, police brutality, change and spirituality. Haki N’ Dem strives to fulfill the mission of lending their artistry for activism to become Prodigy SAINTS: young and talented students against inner-city negligence toward society.

Black & Latinx Summit: "Resistance in Resilience: Intertwining Our Roots Standing Our Ground"
2024-02-24 09:30 - 18:30 | I Hotel & Conference Center, 1900 S. 1st Street, Champaign, IL
The Black and Latinx Summit is an annual conference and summit that seeks to bring students from all intersections into shared a space to learn and connect. This focus is an intentional understanding of the traumas that communities of color in the United States have faced both historically and contemporarily. It is also cognizant of the strides we take each day to heal our wounds and better prepare us for the next change in our circumstances. By creating this space, we hope others will join us in exploring the landscape of our communities and finding ways to make us stronger as a collective.
Registration is required. For more information, visit: https://ssib.illinois.edu/BlackandLatinxSummit/

From Illinois to the Moon: The Life and Legacy of George R. Carruthers
2024-02-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Electrical and Computer Building, 306 N. Wright Street, Urbana, IL
Professor Lara Waldrop will discuss her NASA research project, The Carruthers Geocorona Project. The name honors Dr. George R. Carruthers, a prominent, three-time Illinois alumnus. As one of the first African American men to earn a doctorate degree in astrophysics, Dr. George R. Carruthers is known as a trailblazer. He invented the camera that took the first images of space, significantly improving our understanding of space and earth science
