Celebrate Black History Month with JES programming this year!
History and Healing: Spotlight on African American Heroes
Featuring A Shared Heritage
Monday, February 6 at 6:00 p.m.
Lincoln Community Center Library
This presentation will speak to this critical community history project's broad educational, restorative value. The three architects of A Shared Heritage will highlight some of the key figures, stories, and places associated with Erie County's African American history, and reflect on the power of our shared past to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges that continue to confront both our region and a divided nation.
Admission: FREE
Dr. Martin Luther King and America's Self-Evident Truth
Featuring JES Scholar-in-Residence Parris Baker, Ph.D.
Monday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Jefferson Educational Society
In Dr. King's iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, he referenced a passage of the Declaration of Independence, "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, ..." This presentation will examine the meaning of "self-evident truths" based on political and cultural hermeneutics, in 1776, in 1963, and in our post-modern America. Audience participation will be encouraged.
Admission: $10/person or $15 with a guest
From Trash to Treasure - Maintaining Erie African American History
Featuring JES Scholar-in-Residence Johnny Johnson, M.Ed.
Thursday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Erie Center for Arts & Technology
This lecture will highlight the Lawrence Family Archives maintained by Ms. Ada Lawrence and their importance in exploring the history and legacy of Erie's African American community. It will discuss how these Archives came about, the role of the Harry T. Burleigh Society and the Burleigh Legacy Alliance in cataloging and digitizing them for research and public viewing aided by a grant from the Erie Community Foundation.
Admission: FREE
