Public Library Of New London Holding Black History Month Events

The Public Library of New London has announced a lineup of events recognizing Black History Month throughout February.

The library is partnering with the Kente Cultural Center as well as black film historian Lonnie Braxton to show the fourth annual Black History Month Film Festival. The film series has a theme of black women in film this year, and a different movie will be shown at 7 p.m. each Friday.

Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed kicked off the series on Friday. The library announced today that this week's scheduled showing of Wilma, about an athlete who overcame physical disability and won three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics, has been canceled due to the predicted blizzard. However, the film series will continues with these movies:

• Bright Road, a fictional film about a teacher's efforts to reach a troublesome student, on Feb. 15
• Beah: A Black Woman Speaks, about the life of actress Beah Richards, on Feb. 22

Refreshments are provided at each film. Visitors are also welcome to examine an exhibit of books and movies about black women, which Braxton has put together for display in the Community Room.

At 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, the library will host a discussion on the book The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Avana Mathis. Copies of the book, which follows the life of a black woman raising her children in Philadelphia in the first part of the 20th century, are available at the circulation desk.

The library's regular 3:30 p.m. arts and crafts activity in the Children's Room will also have a Black History Month theme. The activity is open to all children who are able to use scissors and work independently.

For more information, call the library at 860-447-1411 or visit www.plnl.org.

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