Archives for Black History

Celebrate Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month

From novels to genealogy workshops, dance performances to films, and storytimes to memoirs, we've got scores of ways to help you celebrate Black History Month. For a list of recommended reads for children, see Raquel's dazzling list of nonfiction picks here. Events Black History Month StoryWalk February is Black History Month. Come view the Library’s StoryWalk featuring Molly, By Golly!: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by Dianne Ochiltree, illustrated by Kathleen Kemly. In addition to the StoryWalk, there will be some photos related to the history of firefighting in White Plains on display. The StoryWalk will
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February 1, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: Black art, Black History, black history month, library events, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Black History StoryWalk

Black History StoryWalk

Black History StoryWalk Molly, By Golly!: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter Written by Dianne Ochiltree & Illustrated by Kathleen Kemly Begins Monday, January 23, 2023 and runs through Tuesday, February 28, 2023 For Families & Children Location: The Gallery Stroll through the Gallery on the second floor of the Library, and follow the story of Molly Williams, the slave who became America’s first female firefighter! The Black History StoryWalk is based on the book, Molly, By Golly!: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by Dianne Ochiltree and Kathleen Kemly. In the book, New
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January 24, 2023 10:38 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Black History, black history month, Black History StoryWalk, Observances and Celebrations, and storywalk.

Navigating by the Stars

Navigating by the Stars

From April 1st through June 30th, the Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom sculpture by Wesley Wofford will be on display in Renaissance Plaza in downtown White Plains. In conjunction with this historic visit by the sculpture, the Library and many other community partners organized events related to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and more. Find the full listing of the community-wide programs and events here. Navigating by the Stars Tuesday, May 17th, 6:00 p.m. (virtual) Grades 4+, Teens, Adults Have you ever wondered how ancient people told time? Or traveled from point A to point B without a smartphone
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May 17, 2022 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events and Library News.
Tags: adults, all ages, Black History, children's events, edge events, events, events for families in White Plains, events for kids in White Plains, families, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, library events, live music, Observances and Celebrations, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEM, teens, trove events, White Plains events, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

Roots of Black Music in America

Roots of Black Music in America

Wednesday, June 1st, 7:00 p.m. (virtual) Children, Teens, Families, Adults Note: All of our youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account to attend. Sign up for a free Zoom account here: http://zoom.us/signup. Music is a language that students of any age can understand and appreciate. It connects us, elevates our awareness, and deepens our learning beyond reading the words of a textbook. Audiences will sing, dance, use percussion, and practice call and response as they journey back in time to learn about and experience the music of the most influential Black musicians in American history. Join musician, producer, arts
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May 15, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: adults, all ages, Black History, children's events, edge events, events, events for families in White Plains, events for kids in White Plains, families, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, library events, live music, Observances and Celebrations, performances, teens, theater, trove events, White Plains events, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

Harriet Tubman: Union Scout, Spy and Freedom Fighter

Harriet Tubman: Union Scout, Spy and Freedom Fighter

Tuesday, May 10th, 7:00 p.m. (virtual) Click here to register. Well known for her Underground Railroad activities leading enslaved people to Freedom, Tubman also served as a valuable scout, spy and fighter for the Union Army. Cultural historian John Vorperian will discuss the rarely shared stories of Tubman's successful military exploits in disrupting Confederate outposts and supply lines during the Civil War. This program is supported by the White Plains Library Foundation.
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May 10, 2022 9:00 am | by | 3 Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: adults, Black History, events, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, history, library events, Observances and Celebrations, White Plains events, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

Harriet Tubman Grab & Go Kit

Harriet Tubman Grab & Go Kit

To celebrate Harriet Tubman’s statue coming to White Plains we have a special Grab & Go kit for teens! We have a coloring page showing Harriet Tubman’s fierce determination in leading enslaved people to freedom using the north star, Polaris. This kit comes with materials to light up her lantern and Polaris with LED lights. Students will use copper tape, batteries and LEDs to create an electrical circuit that will light up this coloring page. These kits will be available starting Monday, May 16th as Grab & Go kits you can pick up in the lobby of the Library and
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April 29, 2022 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Black History, edge events, events, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, library events, Observances and Celebrations, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEM, teens, White Plains events, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom Programs and Events

Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom Programs and Events

From April 1st through June 30th, the Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom sculpture by Wesley Wofford will be on display in Renaissance Plaza in downtown White Plains. In conjunction with this historic visit by the sculpture, the Library and many other community partners are organizing events related to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and more, throughout April, May, and June. Below, you will find a listing of the Library’s events in conjunction with the statue’s visit to White Plains. Get the Zoom link for each virtual program by clicking on that program’s date and time. Find the full listing
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April 28, 2022 10:00 am | by | 4 Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: adults, all ages, Black History, book discussion, children's events, edge events, events, events for families in White Plains, events for kids in White Plains, families, Grab & Go kits, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, Juneteenth, library events, live music, Observances and Celebrations, outdoor events, performances, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEM, teens, theater, trove events, White Plains events, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

Children’s Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 2

Children’s Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 2

Veronica Chambers writes in her New York Times article, How Negro History Week Became Black History Month and Why It Matters Now, ”Why does Black History Month in particular, and the study of Black history overall, still matter so much? ‘There’s no question that history is and continues to be a battleground. The origin stories that we tell matter a great deal for where we set the bar and how we set the bar going forward,’ noted Professor Jones, of Johns Hopkins. ‘So when you talk about people like Carter G. Woodson, these are men who knew that if you
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February 16, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Black History, black history month, children's books, Dive into Diversity, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Children’s Nonfiction Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 1

Children’s Nonfiction Titles to Celebrate Black History Part 1

The banning of children’s books on Black history (And children’s books on the LGBTQIA+ experience) has greatly risen recently throughout the United States. Students and teachers are fighting back. One student and teacher victory (for now) led to the rescinding of a book ban instituted by the Central York Pennsylvania School District board. Alyssa Shotwell wrote in her article in the Mary Sue, “Last year, heated school debates resulted in the York, Pennsylvania schools banning (and, in some cases, holding ongoing ‘reviews’ of) a four-page list of materials. In the list sent to teachers across the Central York District, books
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January 12, 2022 10:46 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Black History, black history month, Dive into Diversity, Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Observances and Celebrations.

Genealogy Workshop: African Americans in Records

Genealogy Workshop: African Americans in Records

African Americans in Public Records Prior to 1870 Monday, June 14th 7:00–8:00 p.m. For information on attending, click here. In this presentation, genealogist Cynthia Maharrey covers: Things to consider before and during your research General information about African American genealogical records An abbreviated case study Examples of records from Reconstruction to the 1840s that hold genealogically significant information concerning free and enslaved African Americans
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June 10, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: african american genealogy, Black History, genealogy, local history, and records.

Black History Month Events

Black History Month Events

This February we're celebrating Black History Month with a variety of events for all ages. Below is a chronological list of events and various resources and reading lists. To see a full list of our February events, please check our online calendar. Through February 28th Film Screening: Black Ballerina Black Ballerina is a story of passion, opportunity, heartbreak and triumph of the human spirit. Set in the overwhelmingly white world of classical dance, it tells the stories of several black women from different generations who fell in love with ballet. Sixty years ago, while pursuing their dreams of careers in
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February 15, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Black History, black history month, book discussion, book groups, civil rights, Jackie Robinson, jazz, library events, mamie johnsonson, Observances and Celebrations, Project Lit, Project Lit Community, satchel paige, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and storywalk.

Local History: Rosa Kittrell

Local History: Rosa Kittrell

October 10 has been designated World Mental Health Day by the World Health Organization. In honor of it, here is a story about a White Plains resident whose activism on behalf of people with mental illness had a national impact. Rosa Kittrell worked hard to redefine the way we view and treat the most vulnerable members of society. Through her tireless activism, personal struggles with mental illness, and belief in the power of education, Kittrell developed a motto: “Others, Lord, others.” Like so many black women in America, Kittrell was intersectional in her activism before anyone ever heard of that
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October 10, 2017 11:53 am | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Local History.
Tags: activism, African-American History, Black History, clifford beers, day care, feminism, local history, mental health reform, mental hygiene, mental illness, rosa kittrell, social justice, thomas p brennan, white plains collection, white plains history, and world mental health day.

Local History: School’s Out, Pt. 2

Local History: School’s Out, Pt. 2

The late 1960s was a time of increasing consciousness about racial issues in the United States. The mainstream civil rights movement won victories in 1964 and 1965 with large pieces of Federal legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. By 1968, however, because of issues like Vietnam, economic injustice, the conditions of urban life, and the nature of black identity some people questioned how much progress had really been made. The civil rights movement itself was fractured. Some advocated equality and integration within the framework of American society. Others, generally younger activists, promoted black power or
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July 28, 2017 4:59 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History.
Tags: African-American History, Black History, boycotts, civil rights, local history, race relations, racial balance plan, Reporter Dispatch, school, strikes, students, white plains collection, White Plains High School, and white plains history.

Local History: School’s Out, Pt. 1

Local History: School’s Out, Pt. 1

The late 1960s was a time of increasing consciousness about racial issues in the United States. The mainstream civil rights movement won victories in 1964 and 1965 with large pieces of Federal legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. By 1968, however, because of issues like Vietnam, economic injustice, the conditions of urban life, and the nature of black identity some people questioned how much progress had really been made. The civil rights movement itself was fractured. Some advocated equality and integration within the framework of American society. Others, generally younger activists, promoted black power or
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July 21, 2017 5:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History.
Tags: African-American History, Black History, boycotts, civil rights, local-history, race relations, racial balance plan, Reporter Dispatch, school, strikes, students, teachers, white plains collection, White Plains High School, and white plains history.

Local History: Researching Greenburgh

Local History: Researching Greenburgh

All kinds of curious researchers find their way to the library and discover the White Plains Collection can help answer their questions. I've helped people find their yearbook picture, learn about the people who used to live in their house (no American Horror Stories uncovered yet), unearth lost city reports, and find photographs they didn't know existed. Two recent research queries covered similar topics, and all the researchers are generating interesting projects about Greenburgh.   The Greenburgh African American Historical Alliance is a newly formed community-based organization created to assist in the historical preservation of African American heritage, history and
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March 10, 2017 5:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History.
Tags: African-American History, Black History, community history, fairview, greenburgh, Greenburgh African American Historical Alliance, housing, local-history, white plains collection, and white plains history.

Local History: Black History Month

Local History: Black History Month

It's February, a month recognized as Black History Month across America. Sometimes also called African American History Month, wide-scale public recognition of the history of Black Americans began in 1915 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History. In 1926, Negro History Week was established through the ASALH. The commemoration was updated in 1975 and given its current form by an act of Congress and a Presidential Proclamation in 1986. A full history of the public commemoration can be found here. In 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture
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February 4, 2017 4:32 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History.
Tags: African-American History, Black History, black history month, historical societies, local history, Observances and Celebrations, white plains collection, and white plains history.

Black History StoryWalk® Features Steamboat School

Black History StoryWalk® Features Steamboat School

Children at the White Plains Public Library are invited to take a walk along The Trove's 2017 Black History StoryWalk®. This year's walk is based on the book, Steamboat School: Inspired by a True Story, written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Ron Husband. In this story, the teacher, Reverend John Berry Meachum, and his students refused to accept discrimination based on skin color. Meachum opened the “Floating Freedom School” in the middle of the Mississippi River in response to the Missouri law in 1847 that stated that “No person shall keep any school for the instruction of negroes or
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January 27, 2017 10:06 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Kids and Local History.
Tags: Black History, children, storywalk, and The Trove.

People & Stories Oral History Project: Kenny Lee

People & Stories Oral History Project: Kenny Lee

We are grateful to start our collaboration with White Plains Jazz Fest and ArtsWestchester on a good note–with an oral history by Kenny Lee, whose life and music are important parts of White Plains history. Lee is known to different people for different things. Some know him as a trumpet player and band leader of the Kenny Lee All Stars. Others know him as a detective with the White Plains Police Department. Lee was born in White Plains and, taking after his father, started playing trumpet at an early age. He played in the White Plains Schools in the jazz
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July 8, 2016 4:58 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History and Oral History.
Tags: African-American History, ArtsWestchester, Black History, jazz, Jazz Fest, local history, music, oral history, People & Stories, police, and white plains history.

People & Stories Oral History Project: Lord Judah & JCA

People & Stories Oral History Project: Lord Judah & JCA

This is the first time People & Stories is presenting a produced oral history, and it's for a good reason. Lord Judah is the artist behind H.I.P.H.O.P., which stands for Highly Intelligent People Healing Our Planet. H.I.P.H.O.P. is many things. It's a philosophy for engaging with social issues, a mobile-teaching unit, and an artistic collective. H.I.P.H.O.P. is combining music with a social justice mission through teaching workshops with young people and support for local artists. Lord Judah and JCA mix their personal stories about coming up in White Plains with insights about how to find a place as an artist
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May 27, 2016 6:06 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History and Oral History.
Tags: African-American History, artists, Black History, community activism, education, hip hop, JCA, local history, lord judah, music, oral history, People & Stories, social justice, teaching, and white plains history.

People & Stories Oral History Project: The Mosleys

People & Stories Oral History Project: The Mosleys

Brandon Mosley took the question posed by television show “Who Do You Think You Are?” seriously and set out to discover how he came to be in White Plains. His mother told him stories about his great-aunt's successful cosmetic company in Harlem, his grandfather's influential role in White Plains public schools, and his great-grandfather's life as a preacher in North Carolina–and he discovered many more. He wrote a history of his mother's (Marcia's) side of the family in The Tree That Shades Me, which he self-published. In their oral history, Brandon talks about the process of discovering his family's history
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April 4, 2016 1:48 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Local History and Oral History.
Tags: 19th Century, African-American History, Black History, local history, National Beauty Supply Company, North Carolina, oral history, People & Stories, and white plains history.