Opening Reception - Black History Month 2008
January 23, 2008

On Wednesday, January 23, 2008, the Library held an reception to celebrate the opening of its exhibition Entrusted to Our Keeping: The Legacy of African-American Literary Societies in Newark, the Nation, the World, and to celebrate Black History Month 2008.

Exhibition curator Sandra L. West

The exhibition for Black History Month, curated by local author and historian Sandra L. West, celebrates black America’s love affair with books; the fact that African Americans, at one point in their history, were not allowed to read, and that African Americans currently maintain a newsworthy and steadily growing amount of reading organizations/book clubs/literary societies in Greater Newark, around the country, and abroad.

From left, Ron Kavanaugh, Gilda Rogers, Dr. Margaret Hayes, Irene Daniels, Sandra West, Wilma J. Grey, Herb Boyd, Edna Bailey-Woody

In addition, a panel discussion entitled "What’s Hip Hop Got to Do With It? A Community Discussion about the Impact of Hip-Hop Upon African-American Literature" was held in Centennial Hall. Nina Mitchell Wells, New Jersey Secretary of State, was a special guest, and the panel was comprised of Ron Kavanaugh, MosaicBooks.com; Herb Boyd, Baldwin’s Harlem: A Biography; Gilda Rogers, Arrested Development: The State of Black Achievement and Education in Hip-Hop America; Irene Daniels, Newark Literacy Campaign; Elyse Smith, student, Bloomfield College; and Edna Bailey-Woody, motivational speaker. The moderator was Dr. Margaret Hayes, Bethany Book Club.

PNC Bank presents the Library with a check for $10,000
to support Black History Month.

PNC Bank provided financial support for the Library's Black History Month events. Local Boy Scouts from Troops 38 and 50 volunteered at the reception.

Boy Scouts from Troops 38 and 50

Photo credits: The Newark Public Library