A Film Screening for African American History and The Arts
On Friday, Feb. 9, from 7-9 p.m., the North Andover Historical Society is hosting a film on Alvin Ailey, the trailblazing pioneer who found salvation through dance.
AILEY traces the full contours of this brilliant and enigmatic man whose search for the truth in movement resulted in enduring choreography that centers on the Black American experience with grace, strength, and unparalleled beauty. Told through Ailey’s own words and featuring evocative archival footage and interviews with those who intimately knew him, director Jamila Wignot weaves together a resonant biography of an elusive visionary. The North Andover Historical Society is at 800 Massachusetts Ave.
Christian Cooper: Birder, author and activist
On Feb. 9 from 7-8 p.m., birder and author Christian Cooper is scheduled to speak at Phillips Academy Andover to mark Black History Month.
Cooper became a New York Times best-selling author with his 2023 debut memoir, Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World. He is also the host and a consulting producer for National Geographic’s hit series Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper.
Practically born with a pair of binoculars in his hands, Cooper served as president of the Harvard Ornithological Club in his college days. As a current vice president of New York City Audubon he advocates for greater and safer access to green spaces for all, with a focus on outreach to youth in underserved communities. A longtime activist on issues of racial justice and LGBTQIA+ equality, Cooper combined his passions in the BLM graphic short story “It’s a Bird” from DC Comics, and he continues to seek synergy at the intersections of storytelling, progressivism, and environmentalism.
The event is at the lower left of Paresky Commons, 16 Salem St., Andover
Danvers Black History Month Celebration
On Saturday, Feb. 10 from 5-8 p.m. at the Danvers Senior Center. The Friends of Danvers Human Rights and Inclusion Committee invites you to a joyous celebration of Black History and Culture on the North Shore and beyond. Please join neighbors and community members with international and soul food, music, performances, and opportunities to learn more about North Shore history.
The celebration is designed to honor the rich contributions of the Black community in a fun-filled event. This in-person event will take place at the Senior Center of Danvers.
The Danvers Senior Center is at 25 Stone St.
Cape Ann Youth Musical Showcase
Saturday, Feb. 10 from 4-6 p.m. at the Cape Ann Museum.
On Second Saturdays, music students of Alexandra Grace Music Studio will join the Cape Ann Museum for the ‘Cape Ann Youth Musical Showcase’. Every month will have a different theme, and students will perform songs in a fun and creative evening of live music. A young visual artist will also be showcased each month and will display their art at the museum to accompany the show. This February, celebrate music composed by Black artists of many cultures and genres!
Every Second Saturday the Cape Ann Museum is free for residents of the four communities that make up Cape Ann: Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, and Essex. Students, families, friends, and community members are welcome to explore and get inspired before the performance.
The Cape Ann Museum is at 27 Pleasant St., Gloucester
The Singing Souls of Black Folk
On Sunday Feb. 11 at 3 p.m., the Rev. Dr. Cheryl Townsend Gilkes will be speaking at the North Andover Historical Society’s Stevens Center to mark Black History Month.
“The Singing Souls of Black Folk” uses Du Bois’s analyses as a springboard to explore the role of African American music, sacred and secular, in the continued “making” of America and to highlight the importance of celebrating “the Arts” in the African American experience.
In 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois published his classic “The Souls of Black Folk” where he used the sacred music of African Americans, “ten master songs,” to shape the analytical foundations for interpreting their history and culture. In 1924, Du Bois expanded that analytical foundation with his lesser known, but highly significant volume, The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America.
Tickets can be reserved via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/785078439747
The Historical Society is at 800 Massachusetts Ave., North Andover.
Enslaved people and Wenham
On Feb. 15, First Church in Wenham (Congregational) Robert Corcoran will present “Enslaved People & Wenham” in Holland Hall at 7 p.m.
Historian Corcoran will share material from his book of the same name, providing an overview of Wenham’s 18th- and early 19th century history of enslavement.
Corcoran is descended from an enslaver who lived in Rhode Island in the 17th century, and lives in a house that was once owned by a Wenham enslaver. Enslaved People & Wenham will be available for purchase at Barnesandnoble.com and for free online reading at Archive.org.
“Black History Month is an important opportunity for the community to learn about our collective history,” the Rev. Sean Bendigo said. “Most people don’t realize that Wenham—like other towns in the area—has a history of enslavement. And most people don’t realize that dozens of Wenham’s enslaved people worshiped at the Wenham Congregational Church. We believe it’s important to recognize that history.”
The event is free and open to the public. First Church is at the corner of Main and Arbor Streets, Wenham.
Paint workshop
On Saturday, Feb. 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lynn Arts Inc.
Annually North Shore Juneteenth Association organizes an event to give all members in our community a chance to paint the Juneteenth flag and learn about the symbolism behind the flag. The association is collaborating with Galleries At Lynn Arts this year to continue this tradition. Participants are provided with lunch and are also introduced to a Black American painter through a story that is read aloud. Come join us and create a tradition of celebrating Black History Month. Registration is required.
The Lynn Arts Inc. is at 25 Exchange St., Lynn
Service of Remembrance
On Feb. 18, the First Church of Wenham (Congregational) will hold a Service of Remembrance at 10 a.m. to celebrate the memory of Wenham’s enslaved people. The event will include the reading of their names, which in most cases will be the first time in more than two centuries that their names have been spoken in public.
“It might seem odd to link the tragedy of enslavement with the celebratory nature of Black History Month,” the Rev. Bendigo said. “But when we look at these former residents of our town, we see men and women who fell in love, married and had children. We find men who fought the British in the Revolutionary War. It’s time to recognize their accomplishments and contributions.”
The event is free and open to the public. First Church is at the corner of Main and Arbor Streets, Wenham.