MCC host genealogy talk, arts events for Black History Month
Submitted by MCC
McHenry County College is celebrating Black History Month with food, music, art, lectures and a Golden Globes award-winning movie showing. The theme for this year's celebration is "Overcoming: The Journey Continues."
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Patricia Bearden, co-founder of the Chicago based International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry, present "Researching African American Genealogy: It's Complicated!" from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Luecht Conference Center.
Bearden will use her own oral histories to demonstrate the challenges incurred when researching African-American history. She discovered the story of her great-great grandmother who took the name Fredonia after her emancipation. Participants will learn how she distinguished fact from fiction and view her photos and a freedom quilt displaying pictures of former slaves.
On Thursday, Feb. 20, an Open Mic will take place at 7 p.m. in the Scot Room, behind the cafeteria. Performers are welcome to select some of their pieces from music written or originally performed by the Black and African-American community. This event is open to all students, staff and community members.
A 2014 Golden-Globe award-winning movie will be shown on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in the Luecht Conference Center with three different show times: 9 to 11:15 a.m., 1 to 3:15 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. For movie details, visit www.mchenry.edu/aahm.
All Black History Month events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the MCC Student Life Office at (815) 455-8550.