Black History Month: February |
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THRIVE! Southern Lorain County joins in the nationwide celebration of Black History Month!
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One pivotal event that changed the course of American history took place in our own backyard: the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue of 1858. From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberlin%E2%80%93Wellington_Rescue):
“John Price, an escaped slave, was arrested in Oberlin, Ohio, under the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. To avoid conflict with locals, whose abolitionism was well known, the U.S. marshal and his party took him to the first train stop out of Oberlin heading south: Wellington. Rescuers from Oberlin followed them to Wellington, took Price by force from the marshal and escorted him back to Oberlin, from where he headed via the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada.” Canada, like all colonies, was impacted by the British Slavery Abolition Act of 1834. Hundreds of former U.S. slaves found hope and a new life in our neighbor to the north. |
Film
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There are great movies celebrating black culture that you can watch not just this month, but any time! Some of the best films: "Harriet," chronicling the life of famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman; "Selma" -- a tribute to Martin Luther King's 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to fight for equal voting rights; and "Hidden Figures," a biographical film celebrating three black women mathematicians who played a pivotal role in the nation's space program.
Also, Netflix joins the month-long celebration by featuring “Becoming” – a documentary on Michelle Obama’s 34-city tour to promote her book of the same name; “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” about blues singer Ma Rainey; “Mudbound,” about two vets returning to Mississippi after World War II; and many others. |
Events
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To help you celebrate Black History Month, here is a listing of statewide and local events.
STATEWIDE What's happening in Ohio ... https://www.ohiohistory.org/events/celebrate-black-history-month-2024/ |
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LOCALLY
February 1-March 3: Art exhibition by Oberlin High School students, FAVA Gallery, 39 South Main Street, Oberlin https://cityofoberlin.com/2024/01/black-history-month-exhibition-public-art-display/ |
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February 20: Black Business Owners and Entrepreneurship in Oberlin from the 19th century to today, presented by the Oberlin Heritage Center, Oberlin Public Library, 65 South Main Street, Oberlin; tel. 440-775-4790, www.oberlinlibrary.org
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February 24: Community Day, Allen Art Museum, 87 North Main Street, Oberlin
https://www.oberlin.edu/events/community_day_at_the_allen_memorial_art_museum |
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OTHER:
The City of Oberlin and Oberlin College officially opened the Oberlin Underground Railroad Center in October 2023, celebrating the city’s rich history in the anti-slavery movement and honoring its African-American heritage. The Center is located at 272 South Main Street (the former Oberlin Gasholder Building, aka “the Round House”). Contact the Underground Railroad Center team at 440-775-7251 at the City of Oberlin, 85 South Main Street. |
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New video on black educators: Lillian Gibson (Oberlin College Class of 2025) created a new video on the first educators of color in Oberlin public schools, including Betty Glenn Thomas, Adora Godette, and Eva Mae Parker Crosby. See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opPuAGm4qEs
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Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington features more details about the 1858 Oberlin-Wellington Rescue in this blog: https://19thcenturywellington.wordpress.com/2019/09/16/remembering-1858-the-timeline/
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